What The Hell
by Ali989969
Summary: another AH story with Sookie and Eric. They meet in high school in an... unconventional way. Inspired by the song of the same title by Avril Lavigne. M for language and lemons. Extreme OOC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, I'm a little stuck on "Angel Wings" and I do what I do when my muse abandons me without notice... I hire a temp and start another story. This is a **_**very**_** different Eric and Sookie than I've ever written and I'm not sure I like them all that much, but such is the nature of a temp. Ya never know what you're gonna get. I was listening to my Ipod, heard this song, and wondered how it could be interpreted into this medium. There is a reason I posted the lyrics at the beginning of the story... they're kinda important. No beta whatsoever, so all mistakes are mine and mine alone. Unfortunately, the characters are not. We'll see how this goes...**

You say that I'm messing with your head  
>All cause I was making out with your friend<br>Love hurts whether it's right or wrong  
>I can't stop cause I'm having too much fun<br>You're on your knees  
>Begging please<br>Stay with me  
>But honestly<br>I just need to be a little crazy  
>(<em>chorus<em>) _All my life I've been good,  
>But now<br>I'm thinking What The Hell  
>All I want is to mess around<br>And I don't really care about  
>If you love me<br>If you hate me  
>You can save me<br>Baby, baby  
>All my life I've been good<br>But now  
>Whoaaa...<br>What The Hell_  
>So what if I go out on a million dates<br>You never call or listen to me anyway  
>I'd rather rage than sit around and wait all day<br>Don't get me wrong  
>I just need some time to play<br>You're on your knees  
>Begging please<br>Stay with me  
>But honestly<br>I just need to be a little crazy  
><em>chorus<em>  
>Lalalala la la<br>Whoa Whoa  
>Lalalala la la<br>Whoa Whoa  
>You say that I'm messing with your head<br>Boy, I like messing in your bed  
>Yeah, I am messing with your head when<br>I'm messing with you in bed  
><em>chorus<em> (2x)

Whoaaa...  
>What The Hell<br>Lalalalalalalalalala  
>Lalalalalalalalala<p>

Avril Lavigne: _What The Hell_

**EPOV**

It was fucked up from the start. I was hanging out in a goddamned field at the start of the night. But, honestly, we lived in the middle of farm land, so what better place to have a raging party then in the middle of a field? There was a bonfire, plenty of beer, and no invites required. If you could get there down the rutted dirt road, you were welcome.

I saw Hadley and Sophie Something-or-other pull up in their brother Andre's pickup. They were both nice girls, but they weren't my type. Then I saw someone else hop down from the lifted truck.

I recognized her from school and knew she was a cousin of theirs, but we didn't run in the same circles. I played football and basketball and, honestly, was one of the most popular guys in our school. She was the girl taking AP classes and wrote for the school paper. She always had her hair in a pony tail with a pencil stuck through it and glasses that she was constantly adjusting. She wore baggy jeans and t-shirts. I don't think I had said a word to her. Ever. She looked different tonight. Her long blond hair was hanging down around her shoulders in soft looking waves and no glasses. The skin tight cutoffs and tank top definitely caught my attention. Who knew that she had such a sinful looking body under all that baggy fabric?

She shrugged off her cousins' looks of concern and headed for the river's edge where a boombox was playing Hank. I'm not a fan of country, but majority rules around here. She went to the bag of CDs and flipped through them. I could hear her mumbling about the lack of selection before turning on the radio and adjusting the antenna to pick up the alternative station.

Well, that got my interest. The new girl had some balls to play that shit in a horde of good ol' boys. She grabbed a beach towel from the bank and leaned back. I leaned against a tree and just watched her. I pulled out a pack of Marlboros and flipped one out. When I flicked my Zippo to light it, the little crack caused her to turn her head.

"Oh, God, can I bum one? " her soft voice asked. "Hadley and Sophie would fucking kill me, but I cannot go a whole night without some nicotine." She stood and swayed on her feet a little as she walked over to me.

When she got closer, I could see her eyes were bloodshot as hell and she had a goofy-ass grin on her face. Holy shit, she was high! This would be interesting.

"You can bum off me all damn night if you want, but you'll have to pay me back," I said with my trademark smirk. I had literally had panties drop at that smirk. She just took the cigarette, lit it off mine, and went back to her towel. Not even a wink? A smile? Nothing? Game on, honey.

I grabbed my own towel and laid it out next to hers. The little bank on the edge was usually quiet and isolated from the main event taking place up in the field. I laid on my side facing her. "Looks like you got some pre-party on before they picked you up."

She sighed. "I was at my friend Tara's house last night. We went out to her field with Amelia and Holly. Tray, JB and Alcide showed up. We got a little wasted and then did a wake-and-bake this morning. Not our smartest moment." Amelia was one of the hippy-dippy chicks that my friends and I made fun of and her boyfriend Tray was well-known to have some of the best pot that you could get your hands on in this area. No wonder the girl was still fucked up.

She reached into my pocket and pulled out my pack and lit it off the butt of the one she just finished. "I'd rather just veg in my room, but Mom practically shoved me into Andre's truck with Had and Soph. She thinks I don't get out enough." She rolled her eyes at that. "She actually told them not to let me go off into the woods with anyone. Seriously? Like they have some sort of control over me."

This was a fucking eye-opener. Who could have known this little teacher's pet was a wild child in disguise. I could feel my jeans get tight at the thought of things that hot little body was capable of. I stepped over to one of the coolers and grabbed her a beer. Just to see. She saw the can and wrinkled her nose.

"I don't drink that shit. It tastes like day old ass. Any water in there? I've got cottonmouth from hell."

I put the beer back and grabbed a bottle of water and tossed it to her. She downed the whole thing in about 7 seconds flat and I wondered what else that mouth could do. She grabbed another cigarette and lit it, again, with the butt of the other one. I never would have pegged her as a chain-smoker.

"So, Eric, you deemed this little party good enough for someone of your _stature_?" she cracked, raising an eyebrow at me. She knew where I ranked on the high school social register and was surprised that we would be attending the same party.

"Well, you know that Chester throws the best parties. I always make it a point to go to the best. What are you doing here?" I asked with a raised eyebrow of my own.

She rolled her eyes again. "Had has been Chester's girlfriend since, like, birth. And now Sophie is going out with his roommate Bert. Never mind that Hadley is only fifteen and Soph is sixteen. They're practically engaged. It's disgusting. But add cousins with connections to an overly concerned mother with a _very _mistaken view of my social life and you have my presence at this little _soiree_."

Damn, she had some attitude. I fucking loved it. She flicked her butt into the river and started patting me down to find my pack. I stilled her hands. "Remember I want you to pay me back for these," I said as I handed her the pack.

She sighed. "Look, Had didn't tell me to bring my wallet. You'll just have to wait until Monday. I'll pay you back at school."

I tilted her head up to look at me. "Who said anything about money?" I asked quietly and leaned in to kiss her.

She responded with enthusiasm, her tongue wrestling with mine as she held me to her with her hands in my hair. I slid my hands down her sides and brushed the sides of her breasts and felt her skin erupt in goosebumps. I couldn't help but smirk against her mouth and moved to suck and lick her neck, causing her to moan.

"We should go somewhere more private. Grab the towel," I told her and stood. I offered her my hand and helped her up and grabbed the towel since she seemed to be fighting for balance. I took her hand to lead her to a clearing that I knew of.

"Sook, where ya goin'?" I heard Hadley ask and Sookie didn't even turn. She just flipped off her cousin and kept following me.

"None of your damn business, Had," she yelled in her general direction.

We got to the clearing and I laid out the towel, intending to pick up where we left off. I started kissing her again and pulled her tight against me. We lowered ourselves to the ground and I laid to her side. I ran my hands under her shirt and felt those incredible tits. Her breath hitched as I ran my hand over her nipples that were already hard. I lifted her shirt and moved the satin of her bra to the side before latching my mouth onto those beautiful buds. She tasted like fucking peaches. I love peaches. I worked my mouth down her abdomen until I got to the waistband of her jeans. I tugged at them with my teeth and looked up at her. She nodded, giving me permission to continue.

I slid the cutoffs down her legs and saw that her little satin bikinis matched her bra. That was so hot. I ran my fingers over her pussy through her underwear and she squirmed, wanting more. I slid my finger into and she was so fucking tight I almost came in my pants from the feel of it.

I pushed her panties to the side and ran my tongue over her and she _still_ tasted like peaches. I pumped her with my finger and her hips met me every time. I flicked her clit with my tongue and felt her pussy clench down on my finger as she made little cries of pleasure.

I pulled down my own jeans. I was already so hard it fucking hurt. I couldn't wait to feel her around me. I brushed her slit with the head of my cock and looked down at her. She was still coming down from her orgasm and looked up at me with hazy eyes. She nodded again and I started to slide into her. Holy fucking shit she was tight as hell! I moved in a little more and felt a soft barrier. I pushed more, she gasped below me, and I realized what the barrier was. No fucking way. She was a fucking virgin? What the fuck?

I started to pull out, but she wrapped her legs around me, not letting me move. "Why didn't you say anything?" I asked her.

"You didn't fucking ask. Now are we doing this or not?" she said with a pout on her mouth, but the mood was gone.

"Not. You should have said something," I grumbled at her as I unlocked her legs and stood to pull my pants up. I tossed her shorts to her as she sat on the towel dumfounded.

"What the fuck, Eric? Seriously, what the fucking fuck?"

I couldn't explain it. I had lost my virginity at fifteen to my little sister's babysitter and had been perfecting my skills with practice over the past two and a half years. Never, in all that time with all those girls, had I _ever_ had a virgin. I wasn't about to start. There was too much pressure in being someone's "first".

I ran my fingers through my hair. I didn't know what to tell her. So I didn't say anything besides, "See ya around, Sookie," before heading out of the clearing. When I got back to the field, I tossed my pack of Marlboros to Chester. "Give these to Sookie when you see her," I said and ignored Hadley's pissed-off yammering. I grabbed my friend Bill so he could drive me back to my car. My Camero wouldn't make it down the rutted road and I wanted to be gone before Sookie reappeared. As I drove home, I wondered what it was about this little nobody that I had never noticed before that had me all mixed up. I was suddenly dreading Monday.

**A/N: Before **_**anyone**_** starts, I, in no way, condone drug use or underage drinking or smoking. However, I am no so old that I don't remember high school parties in the country. Also, I know that Eric is a gigantic a-hole right now, but he's a cocky-as-hell 17 year old and I remember those too. There's a point to his douchebaggery, I promise. I still love our Viking. I'm still trying to get a read on this Sookie. But I'm thinking this is gonna be a helluva fun ride. Let me know what you're thinking, 'cuz I don't know if I should keep this muse or fire her ass. Reviews are love and I'm needy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: A warning note for those new to my stories. I live on meandering details that others may find useless, but that's just how I write. We get to learn a little about Sookie. Her life and her family and her POV. Again, this is the Sookie my muse created, so I'm going with what I've been given. Still not sure if I like her or not. By the way, if you didn't get it from the last chapter, we are going WAAAAAAY OOC here. All mistakes are mine, but the characters are not. Enjoy!**

**SPOV**

Tara dropped me off at my house and I _so_ did not want to deal with anyone. I had forgotten that my mom and aunt were holding a yard sale. Of course, Hadley and Sophie were helping out. I had gone to Tara's house for a spur-of-the-moment sleepover. Her parents were cool like that. We invited Amelia and Holly and were going to "camp out" in the field across the street. Well, that's what we said. It just made it easier for their boyfriends to visit after dark.

Tara and I had know each other since elementary school when we were in Girl Scouts together. She had started going out with JB when we got to high school a couple of years ago and he introduced us to his friends, twin brothers Alcide and Tray. By association, we became friends with their girlfriends and we were just a big happy group. Except for me. I was always the third wheel, fifth wheel, whatever. I was never _excluded_, but there are some things a single friend doesn't want to hang around for.

We built a little campfire and after the lights went out at Tara's house, Tray's Jeep pulled up with the headlights off. All three guys jumped out and hugged their girls. JB and Tray also hugged me, being friends. Alcide hugged Holly and winked at me. That was fucked up.

Tray pulled out his personal stash and we all got completely wasted. I still wasn't sure whether I liked or loathed the spacey feeling pot gave me, but I was more than willing to keep trying it until I figured it out. I leaned back on the big blanket Tara had brought out and grabbed the can of Pringles she had packed for this specific reason. Alcide came to sit behind me and nodded towards the campfire where Amelia and Holly were doing a little swirly dance with each other. Tara had retreated to the tent with JB, so I was left on the blanket by myself. Large warm hands started rubbing my shoulders and I reflexively leaned my head forward and rounded my back.

"You know, Holly and I aren't exclusive, Sook," Alcide whispered into my ear and I got goosebumps from his hot breath.

I shrugged his hands off my shoulders and turned to face him. "Why should I care about that? She's my friend. I would never do that."

His eyes traveled up and down my body. "Just keep it in mind," he said before going to join his brother in the Jeep.

I sighed and leaned back on my elbows. I wasn't used to getting any kind of attention from boys. I started developing early and it became habit to wear my older brother's much baggier clothes to hide it, even after I grew a few inches and slimmed up. I'd been wearing glasses since I was seven and they never really seemed to sit on my face right. I also preferred sleep to primping, so rather then spend time doing anything with my hair, I just pulled it into a ponytail. I worked for the school paper and would jot down story ideas when they hit me, so I usually just stuck a pencil through the elastic in my hair. At least I would know where it was.

But things changed. When I would be at my friends' houses relaxing, I wore my usual clothes. I was at home in cutoffs and tank tops. It was my summer "uniform" that I lived in once the temperatures went over seventy. I had also finally convinced my parents to let me get contacts, so goodbye glasses. I cut off about eight inches of hair. Instead of coming down to my waist, it was much more manageable at chest-length and I would leave it down more often. And since those physical changes, I had been getting much more attention.

Alcide was the most forward about it. God knew he was hot. The tanned complexion, black hair, and green eyes that he and his brother shared made all the girls in my class drool. I had always fallen for tall, dark, and handsome. And if I hadn't been friends with Holly, I wouldn't have given it a second thought. But I'm not that kind of girl and never would be. There were too many available guys and a taken one wasn't worth ruining a friendship and getting a reputation.

We all ended up passing out eventually and Tray shared a bit more of his stash before we had to head back to Tara's house. After leaving a little bit as a parting gift, the guys drove off and we girls went inside all giggly. Amelia and Holly drove off and Tara offered to drive me home after lunch. I wouldn't turn sixteen until later that summer and it sucked that I couldn't drive yet. We burned one on the way to my house and I fell back into my spacey mind.

I waved hi to everyone in my yard and went to hole up in my room. I pulled out Jason's old Pearl Jam CD and tried to mellow out. My mind tended to work on overdrive when I was high, but sort of in slow motion also. Someone could say something and it would roll around in my head until it made some sort of bizarre connection. I would blurt out something random, but by then, the conversation had usually moved to another topic and all I got were strange looks and chuckles.

Hadley barged into my room without knocking, as usual. She and I were less than a month apart in age, and had been extremely close when we were younger. In middle school, she had gotten involved in all sorts of clubs and athletics and we just weren't as close anymore. Her sister Sophie was a little more than a year older than us and she was a different personality all together. She was quiet and shy. She kept to a small group of friends and spent most of her time training and riding her horses. We had never really been all that close. We were too different.

Without opening my eyes, I just knew who it was. "Damnit, Had, can you please try knocking once in a while?" I moaned.

She giggled and hopped on my bed, forcing me to pull my legs out of the way so she wouldn't bounce on them. "Soph and I are going down to the river tonight. Chester's dad gave him the okay to use the field tonight. You should come with us."

"Had, we don't share friends. Besides, I went out last night and Mom probably wants me to stay home."

That was probably a lie and I knew it. My mom had been a social butterfly while she was in school and had nothing but good memories of parties, dances, and dates that occupied all her spare time. To say she was disappointed in my social life was an understatement. When she had had me, she'd had dreams of having a living Barbie that she got to dress in cute little outfits and gossiping like friends. I wasn't really giving her much to work with.

Hadley giggled again. "I've already cleared it with Aunt Michelle. She's all for you going out with us tonight! So be ready to go by five! But she told us not to let you wander off into the woods with anyone. It would look bad."

Well fuck my life. I didn't want to go to this damn party. Hanging out in a field full of mosquitoes and rednecks was not my idea of a good time. And I was still stoned. I just wanted to listen to music and chill in my room.

I certainly wasn't going to put forth an effort to go to a fucking _field_ party. I brushed my teeth to try to get rid of the cotton mouth, but it didn't work. I pulled on my cutoffs and grabbed a pale pink tank top that looked great against my tan. On weekends, I lived on my back deck in my little string bikini and worshiped the sun. My Gran would tell me that I browned like a biscuit during the summer. I coated myself in Off and decided that was the best perfume for where I was going.

At five, Sophie pulled into the drive in Andre's big blue pickup. He was four years older then Soph, a year older than Jason. He would loan out his truck to his sisters if he didn't need it. And you needed a truck to make it down the road to the field. I had been there several times growing up to go camping, but this was one of the first parties I'd gone to there.

My cousins both noticed that I was less than enthused to be going to this party and tried to cheer me up. I was going to do what I wanted at this damn thing and if meant being antisocial, so be it. When they parked the truck, I hopped out and immediately went to the back on the river's edge. I wasn't going to listen to that country shit. Daddy and Jason made me listen whenever they were around and I was sick of it. I flipped through the bag of CDs and, finding nothing I liked, flipped it over to the radio and tuned it to the rock station after adjusting the antenna. Fuck anyone who didn't like it.

I grabbed a towel from the pile at the edge of the back and laid back. I heard the crack of a lighter and turned my head. Eric fucking Northman. I knew who he was. Everyone did. He was a junior while I was a sophomore. He played all sorts of sports and had a reputation. I could admit he looked good, but he wasn't my type. All I wanted was one of the cigarettes that he had.

He offered to bum me smokes as long as I paid him back. I could tell he was trying to flirt with me, but really? Did that juvenile smirk really get girls? It just made him seem like a cocky dick. I rolled my eyes to myself when he laid out next to me. Was I giving off an "I want to chat" vibe? Cuz I would need to stop doing that pronto.

He tried to offer me a beer, but the cheap shit they had at these parties always tasted nasty. All beer tasted nasty to me. I just wanted a water because the Marlboros were _not_ helping my dry mouth. I couldn't help but smirk at the way his eyes widened as I emptied the bottle he tossed me.

Somehow or another we ended up pawing at each other on the bank and he wanted more privacy. He helped me up and grabbed the big towel I had been laying on. We climbed the bank to the field and headed off into the woods. Hadley tried to get me to talk to her, but I just flipped her off and told her to mind her own business. She knew me well enough not to take it personally.

Eric unfolded the towel and started kissing me again. He may not have physically been my type, but that boy could kiss like a house on fire. I was in no shape to make decisions, but I didn't care. The things he was doing to my body were making me fuzzy in a way I hadn't experienced before. When he put his mouth on my breasts, I thought I was going to explode until I felt his tongue on my pussy. I think I forgot how to breathe. The most I had ever done before was kissing and maybe some medium petting. Not even making it to "heavy". I was in a whole new ballpark.

When he pulled his jeans down, I saw the ammo he was packing. _That_ was supposed to fit in me? Seriously? Well, I was willing to give it a try. Not for one second did I think about how I had never gone this far before or how I was about to punch my v-card. When he pushed his cock into me, I could feel my body stretching to accommodate him. It was a sensation I wasn't used to, but not unpleasant. Until he got deeper. I felt a sharp pain and hissed. He pulled out in a hurry and got all huffy about me not telling him I was a virgin. Well, he hadn't asked and I wasn't in the habit of blurting out the state of my hymen to someone who was basically a stranger. Although, since I had started to have sex with said stranger, it maybe should have come up.

And then he just fucking left. Walked away from me in the woods, saying "see you later" while I pulled on my clothes. He was gone by the time I got out of the woods. Chester gave me the pack of cigarettes that he had left for me. How fucking thoughtful. Hadley started harping about how bad smoking was for you, but I just ignored her. I thanked God that I lived close enough to walk home and took off down the dirt road. My parents were asleep by the time I got home and holed myself back up in my room.

I could not fucking believe what I had almost done. Really, Sook? With Northman, of all people? Are you that damn desperate? I was over feeling insecure. Come Monday, I was starting over.

I got Mom to take me shopping for some new clothes the next day, to her delight. She'd been waiting for me to ask her that for years. She spent a fortune on a spring-summer wardrobe for me. We got all kinds of sundresses and outfits that looked so much better than Jason's hand-me-downs. My new clothes felt like armor and I was ready for anything that the high school halls could throw at me.

**A/N: So, Sookie is gearing up for battle. But with who? And for what? I have this whole ride playing out in my head, it's just interpreting it into writing that's the challenge. And don't forget the inspiration. I love that fucking song. This is gonna be fun. BTW: I have Twitter, so if you want to add me, it's the same as my pen name: Ali989969. I post updates occasionally, but I am a social networking slacker. AND, a great big thank you for all the favoriting (is that a word? It is now.) and alerting that was done on this story. Who knew douchey Eric would be so popular? Please keep the reviews coming. I **_**really**_** love knowing what you guys think of the twisted little worlds in my head and the reviews help fill the plot hole of the story in my mind. MMMWWWAAAH!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Silly Ali, writing three chapters in less than 24 hours! What can I say? This story has grabbed my brain and the kids are staying with their grandparents for the long weekend! Who knows what I'll be able to do by the time I have to go back to work? I'm still getting a feel for these characters. You guys fricking amaze me. I love how you've taken to this little distraction of mine. Mistakes are mine, but the characters are not. On with the show...**

**EPOV**

I woke up to my little sister Pam dumping a glass of ice water over my head. I shot out of bed, pissed off, and saw her smirking as she ran out of the door, cackling. She was such a bitch for someone so young. She wouldn't be starting high school until the fall. Thank God I would only have to share a school with her for a year before I graduated.

I figured since I was already up, I should go ahead and get ready. I got in the shower and thought about Sookie. Fuck. I hoped to all that was holy that I wouldn't run into her. I was embarrassed by how I had treated her the night of the party. I had known she was fucked up and had pushed her anyway. It didn't matter that she was more than willing. It didn't feel right in retrospect.

But I couldn't help the way I was attracted to her. It was like she was a whole different person. She was no one anyone would notice. But when I saw her hop out of that truck in those tiny clothes and the attitude she gave... there's nothing Eric Northman loves more than a challenge.

I dressed with care, as I usually did. I know what looks good on me. I pulled on baggy black cargo shorts and a white wife beater. I put on a red button down on over it, but didn't button it and rolled up the sleeves. I pulled on my black hiking boots and grabbed my back pack before I went downstairs.

My mom was in her scrubs, just getting home from her shift in the ER. She looked exhausted and I kissed her head as she ate some breakfast before heading to bed. Pam sat at the table with her and had a shit-eating grin on her face.

"Momma, are you gonna be able to come see the play this weekend? I actually have some lines in this one." Pam asked her. She was heavily into the drama department, much to my embarrassment.

"I'll try, Sweetpea. If I'm on the graveyard shift again, I don't know if I'll be able to. Your dad will be there, though. And so will your brother," she said, shooting me a look like she was daring me to contradict her. I wouldn't dare, not in the mood she was in. I settled for shrugging.

I grabbed a bagel and said good bye before getting in my Camero. I pulled into the lot at school and was greeted by my friends. Thalia and Felicia draped themselves across my car, trying to get my attention. And they were both beautiful. But I was looking for someone else. Someone I had never looked for before.

I saw both Sophie and Hadley, but they apparently didn't give Sookie rides to school. She was no where near them. A giant rumbling black pickup with pink and aqua detailing pulled into the parking lot to the drop off queue. I saw her then. She leaned over and gave the driver a hug before lowering herself to the ground.

Fuck me. She was in a little sundress that she filled out like a goddess. White lace with some sort of red flowers and red heeled sandals. Her hair was still down in waves and the glasses were still missing. Who the fuck was she hugging?

I shook my head, trying to get back into the game. She was no one. Felicia and Thalia attached themselves to my side and we walked into school like the teenage royalty we were. I headed to my locker with the entourage in toe. Bill, Clancy, and Max joined up with the group and the crowds in the hall parted as we walked through. Isabelle and Heidi were waiting for me at my locker. I had slept with all four of the girls, and had no desire to do so again. But I put my game face on and flirted like a master, making them giggle and blush. The ridiculous game I had to play actually succeeded in getting Sookie out of my head for a time. I got through my first two classes and the first half of lunch without giving her a second thought.

But as I headed to my locker to swap out books, I passed the little patch of grass where the fucking hippies hung out. How could I forget that? I saw the Amelia girl that Sookie mentioned doing her best to look like a space cadet with her glassy eyes and crooked grin. I saw Tray watching her with a leer that had only one meaning. I also saw his twin Alcide wrapped around his girlfriend on the grass, but he was looking somewhere else.

I followed his eyes, a sixth sense telling me what I would see. Sookie was laying on her stomach reading. She was propped up on her elbows and kept checking her watch. I backed against the brick, trying to avoid her notice. She popped up suddenly.

"Guys, I have to get to the auditorium. We're doing matinee shows for the elementary schools this week," she said as she grabbed her bag. Say what?

"If it wasn't such a pain in the ass, I'd consider doing drama just to get out of classes for a week," Alcide threw out. He was still looking at her like she was a steak. It pissed me off.

"Alc, it's really not that bad. The perks of it are great though. But I don't really see you as a musical theater kind of guy. Besides, it's not like I'm on stage. I just do the makeup."

"You would _never_ put make up on this face. I'm too pretty," he said and Holly giggled. Sookie blushed when she saw the challenge in his eyes as he stared at her over Holly's head.

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "Can you guys drive me home this afternoon? Jason has to work late."

Now I remembered where I'd seen the guy who dropped her off this morning. Jason Stackhouse was the varsity quarterback when I was on the JV squad. So that was her ride? Shit.

Jason Stackhouse and Andre Paul. Powerhouse cousins that ruled the school in their time. Andre's mom had married into the Stackhouse family when he was a baby, and Hadley and Sophie were only half-sisters to him. So... I admit, it took me a little time to figure out the family connection, but it meant that Jason was Sookie's brother. I couldn't help but feel relief at that fact when my going unnoticed was blown all to hell.

"What the hell are you doing here, Eric, catching a contact buzz? Come on, we have to get our books for Chem," Felicia said loudly to me. "Lunch is almost over."

Sookie looked up at my name and the smile left her face. She turned and headed off to the auditorium. Tray and Alcide traded confused shrugs. Felicia attached herself to my side as I went to my locker.

Bill met me in the classroom and sat next to me when Felicia went squealing to Isabelle like it had been 3 years since they had seen each other rather than an hour. "Have you seen Stackhouse today?" he whispered loudly.

"Stackhouse who? There are several of them. You'll need to clarify," I said to him dryly. I knew which one he was referencing and wasn't happy.

"Sookie. I have her in AP History. She had some sort of body transplant over the weekend. She's fucking hot!"

"Sookie Stackhouse?" I scoffed, like I had no idea who he was talking about. "What are you talking about?"

"Jason's little sister. It's like... shit, man. I never knew that she looked like _that_!"

"Mm-hmm. Right." I mumbled before Mrs. Kingery started class.

After class, I saw tons of ankle biters heading into the auditorium and realized this was what Sookie meant about doing a matinee for elementary schools. The kids would be driven to the high school every year to see the Spring Musical. Knowing that Sookie was in there distracted me to no end and I had to haul ass to get to English before the bell rang.

**SPOV**

Thank God Jason stopped by for breakfast this morning. I had woken up late and missed the bus, so he offered to drive me before he left for work. He was great as big brothers went and I adored him. I grabbed some bacon and toast from the plate on the table before hopping into his truck.

I picked out one of my new sundresses to wear to school today. It was so cute, white with red roses embroidered all over it. Jason's eyes had widened when he saw me walk down the stairs.

"Damn, Sook. I'm gonna end up beating some fool's ass by the end of the week with you lookin' like that!" he said and I felt like there was no higher praise I could have gotten. "Why the change?"

"I just felt like it was time I actually looked like a girl. I _am_ a girl, you know?" I said as we headed to the kitchen.

"Who is he?" he asked with his eyes narrowed.

"Jase, there's no guy. I just decided it was time to stop hiding what I look like."

"Right. Well, let's go before I get pay docked."

He pulled up to drop me off and I hugged him before I tried to modestly get out of the truck in my new dress. Tara, Holly, and Amelia exclaimed over my new look and I hugged them all. We went to our lockers and got our stuff for first and second periods.

I knew that people were staring at me. Trying to place me. Even my teachers had had to look twice to realize it was me. I didn't know whether to be flattered or not. It felt like I was a new student around people I had known my whole life.

Amelia and Tray snuck off to his Jeep during the first half of lunch, as they usually did, and came back with glassy, bloodshot eyes. Tara and JB had a different lunch period, so I wouldn't see her until after school. I laid on the grass reading over some of the history notes I had taken to get familiar with the topics. I could feel eyes running over my body and saw Alcide staring. I tried to smile, but it was uncomfortable. He had a girlfriend who was a good friend of mine. He shouldn't be looking at me like that.

I mentioned that I needed a ride home and Tray volunteered. He and Alcide rode together and took their girls home after school, but Holly had to stay behind for softball practice. So there was room for a fourth in the Jeep. I accepted gratefully when I heard mindless giggling and the name "Eric". I turned sharply and saw the bicycle of the junior class simper over Eric. He was staring at me like he'd never seen me before. Well, fuck him. I turned and headed into the auditorium to work on the makeup for the elementary school matinee we were doing. I loved drama, especially working backstage.

I helped some of the middle school cast get into their costumes and their easy makeup done. They were mainly background characters with few lines, if any, and didn't need the works like the primaries would. Once they were done and out of the way, I started working on the leads.

The Artful Dodger sat in my chair. His name was Rasul and he was an exchange student this year. He was of Middle Eastern descent, but was from Spain and his accent gave me shivers. His dark eyes glittered as he looked me over.

"Sookie, you look amazing. How is it that I haven't noticed before?" he asked as I applied foundation so he didn't look like Casper under the lights.

"I faded into the background before. I decided not to do that anymore," I said as I lined his eyes and smiled.

"You camouflaged yourself too well. You are beautiful," he said and I couldn't help but blush. "Can I see you home this afternoon?"

"Umm... yeah. I'll find my friends and tell them I don't need a ride. You have an American license?" I asked. I never knew how that worked.

He laughed. "Of course. My host family got me a permit once they realized I knew how to drive on the right side of the road. Silly Brits, driving on the left," he said and I smiled.

I went to sit in the wings once the show started. It didn't matter how many times I saw it, I loved "Oliver". Every show in live theater was different and there were no cuts. I had to muffle my laughs when a bird flew in the window and dive bombed the female lead. But she managed to stay in character.

Once the show was over and the kids were back on their buses, we worked on cleaning and storing the props. I passed around tubs of Noxema,the only reliable way to remove the flesh colored Crisco that is stage makeup. Costumes were hung up and put away. Once everything was done, Rasul walked me to my locker. I saw Tray pass on his way to the parking lot and told him I found another ride. He nodded and continued on, Amelia behind him mouthing "Nice!" and winking.

Rasul was driving a blue Taurus that seemed very well taken care of. He opened the passenger door for me and I slid into the seat. I smiled at him when he got into the driver's seat and gave him directions to my house. It was fairly easy to get to.

We talked about the show and things we found funny during the different productions. When he pulled into my driveway, I saw that no one else was home. "Thank you for the ride, Rasul," I said.

"Can I pick you up tomorrow? I would like to see more of you, Sookie," he said, and there wasn't a hint of double entendre to his comment. I told him that I would like that and arranged a time for him to be at my house before school. I invited him in, but he declined, saying he needed to help his host family do some chores. As corny as I would have thought it was before, he kissed the back of my hand before driving off.

I sat on our screened in porch and the swing, having my after school smoke before either of my parents got home. I day dreamed about sparkling black eyes and a dark complexion the shade of a latte. His black hair was wavy and he was easily six inches taller than my 5'6". I was definitely looking forward to tomorrow.

**A/N: So, how are we feeling now? I always liked the Rasul character in the books and wanted to include him. He's a sweetie, isn't he? Thank you **_**again**_** for all the reviews and alert/favorite notices I've gotten. My husband has actually gotten annoyed by how often I have been checking the blinky light on my phone. Seriously, you guys rock. Add to his annoyance by adding another review. MMMWWWAAAAHH!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I want to address a few questions that have been posed to me, in case there is any confusion. It mainly deals with what constitutes losing one's virginity. Is it the act of penetration or sex to the point where the hymen is broken? So, here's the deal. Sookie doesn't consider that her "v-card" has been punched, while Eric feels that he did. That's why she's going on her merry way and he's dealing with some guilt. He knew Sookie was stoned at the party and did what he wanted to anyway. It's very "Clintonian" as to what **_**is**_** sex. I am personally with Eric on this one, but my characters have other ideas sometimes. I do try to proofread as much as I can, but the mistakes are mine and the characters are not. Enjoy the show...**

**SPOV**

Rasul picked me up the next morning and smiled when I ran down the front steps to get in his car. I wore another of my new outfits; Jason's hand-me-downs were now relegated to the clothes I would only wear doing chores around the house. Knowing that I was going to be backstage again, I was more casual with black capris and a blue and green paisley tank top. Aware of the running I would have to do backstage to get everyone ready, my shoes were my more sensible blue Tevas. I braided my hair into pigtails after putting my contacts in. Jason shook his head at me again that morning and I stuck my tongue out at him. I liked looking nice.

We pulled into the lot with enough time to socialize and get our stuff before class. I introduced Rasul to Amelia, Tara, and Holly, along with JB, Tray, and Alcide. Everyone but Alcide smiled when Rasul took my hand to walk me to my locker.

We talked more about our schedules as we maneuvered through the halls. He had the same lunch as Tara and JB, so I wouldn't see him until we got ready for the afternoon matinee. He was a senior, so most of his classes were in a different building. He softly and sweetly kissed my cheek before going to get his things for class.

There were, unbelievably, more stares today than there were yesterday. Seriously, it's like all those terrible teen movies: the pretty girl ditches the glasses and ponytail and everyone wants her all of a sudden. I knew that I could be pretty if I put forth an effort. Hell, the past few days have proven that. But for people that have known me forever to suddenly not recognize me. It's kind of insulting, but flattering at the same time.

I got to my AP history class and noticed that jackass Bill Compton winking and smiling at me. Fuck that! His family lives next door to Gran and he had made it his duty since grade school to torment me. It took a minor ass-kicking from Jason to get him to leave me alone. Besides, he was too short for me. I want to be able to wear heels with a guy and not tower over him. As if his personality alone wasn't enough to turn me off.

I met up with Amelia and Holly after class and we went to our usual patch of grass outside the Fine Arts building. Alcide and Tray were waiting for us there. The guys got kisses from their girls, Tray and Amelia went out to the Jeep, and I settled on the ground with Alcide and Holly. I pulled out my list of assignments from English and Journalism to catch up on what I missed during those classes since they were after lunch and I would be missing them all this week.

Holly asked how the shows were going and I amused them with the story of the bird attacking Dawn, the snobby bitch who got the lead in every single production. Alcide grumbled about Rasul just loud enough for me to hear and I frowned at him. I told them the plot of "Oliver!" and told them they should come see one of the weekend shows. Since I was part of the crew, I had a certain number of comp tickets that I could give to family and friends. Holly looked like she wanted to, but Alcide just shrugged. Fuck him.

Amelia and Tray returned and seemed receptive to coming by one of the weekend shows while I packed up my backpack to head into the auditorium. Rasul surprised me by meeting me, since he got out of class early to get to the show. He took my hand and walked me to the door backstage.

**EPOV**

Oh God, she looked good. And what was that foreign fucker doing driving her to school? How did she even know him? That little tank top made her eyes glow and those pants... how had I never noticed that ass before? Really, pigtails? Schoolgirl fantasy, anyone? I was so fucked.

She met up with her friends and she walked into the halls holding that fucker's hand. Why did I care? She was no. one. No one. Except one of the most fascinatingly complex girls I'd ever encountered. She was smart enough to ace AP classes and keep a position on the school paper, but able to go out and get stoned without a second thought. And now she was so fucking hot, the school was in danger of being flooded by the drool she induced. Yeah, gross image, I know, but so fucking true.

Bill met me at my car with Thalia and Felicia. I was so sick of these same faces over and over. The same mindless conversations. Bill followed my gaze and smirked. "I know, right? If I had known she was gonna look like that, I would have been a hell of a lot nicer to her when we were kids. All I saw was a gangly tomboy with skinned knees. No idea she looked like that under those baggy t-shirts," he said and I resisted the urge to punch him. I knew what she looked like under the clothes and I was sick as hell about it.

We made our way to our lockers the way we did every morning, parting the crowds in the halls like the Red Sea. I was last person to look down on popularity. I fucking loved it. It made things a lot easier, socially. But it was so. Fucking. Repetitive. The same people. All the time. The same gossip. All the time. The fact that it was exclusive made it a pain in the ass. Mingling in different cliques was not permitted. But there were dabblers. Like Hadley and Sophie. Through their boyfriends, they got to the best parties, but they didn't hang out with the people that went to them. Sookie seemed to hang out with the hippies and potheads by the Fine Arts building, but she also was involved with the drama geeks. And, again, with her connections through her cousins, she could go to any party she wanted to. She just didn't seem to want it.

I passed the Hippie Hangout on the way to my locker to swap books and saw Sookie and the Spanish guy heading for the auditorium hand in fucking hand. Watching her walk in those tight little pants made my own feel tighter. Isabelle and Felicia walked by together and led me to my locker, lost in my distracted thoughts. I made it to chemistry, but damn if I could remember a single thing that we covered.

**SPOV**

I started working on getting the middle school chorus ready again. They were either in the workhouse at the beginning or part of Fagin's gang, so how "dirty" I had to make them look depended on what part they played. One girl, tall with long platinum blond hair, was _not_ happy about the black powder I had to blow over her face. She was part of the gang of pickpockets and actually had a couple of lines. I asked how she liked being in the musical.

"Oh, except for the makeup and nasty costumes, I love it. For once, my parents will get to see something I do instead of going to my brother's games."

"Your brother is an athlete?" I asked, feeling stupid, but I was distracted by the dark eyes following me around back stage, making me a little giddy.

"Duh. He plays football and basketball. You probably know him; everyone else does. Eric Northman?" she said, her turquoise eyes clear and curious.

Fuck me. Seriously, his little sister? Damn it. "Yeah, I've met him." I mumbled and I sent her on her way to work on another chorus member.

Once the kids were done, the other make-up girl Melanie and I started working on the leads. She did the girls and I did the guys. Rasul was the last in my chair and I smiled.

"Can I take you home again this afternoon?" he asked and I thought it was sweet that he would ask.

"Absolutely. And I'll make it easier for you. If you want to give me a ride every afternoon, I'd accept," I said before realizing how that sounded. Melanie and Dawn started cracking up as I turned red. "I mean... umm.. you know what I mean, right?"

He smiled, fortunately not realizing why what I'd said was so funny. "I do." God bless the language barrier, as minimal as it was. He leaned back with his eyes closed and let me do my thing, making him look like a charming rascal that just happened to be great at picking pockets. When I was done, he opened his eyes and looked at me directly. "I like you, Sookie. A lot."

Yeah, that would be my pulse speeding up and heat in my cheeks as I blushed a deeper pink. "I like you, too. Break a leg," I said, wishing him luck as I went to sit in the wings.

It was hot in the auditorium and especially in the wings from the lights and the lack of air conditioning. It was an old building. I went out into the hall at intermission to get some fresh air, leaning against the cool tiles of the wall. I heard a groan in front of me and there was Mr. Cocky Ass himself.

"Hi Sookie," he said, his voice soft. What the hell was this?

"Hi Eric," I said dryly. "Can I help you with something?"

"I just wanted to say... umm... hi," he trailed off and tried for a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Did I make him nervous?

"Well, you've said it. By the way, I met your little sister today."

"Pam? Fuck, that's right, she's in the play. I forgot."

"Nice brother," I said, rolling my eyes. Jason had spoiled me; he was extremely attentive and supportive of _his_ little sister. "I need to get back in for the second act. Later."

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but the lights were blinking signaling that the second act was about to start. I closed the doors and made my way back to the wings to watch the rest of the show.

The rest of the show was a success, especially since no birds decided to attack our cast. I started getting things ready. I liked my backstage area orderly and organized. It made things so much easier if there was a time crunch. I made sure the makeup labels were clear and hangers for costumes were labeled. I got out the makeup remover since, in this heat, the stuff was miserable. I love putting it on people and the fun you could have with it, but wearing it was a whole different matter.

Rasul came to meet me after removing the makeup and changing back into his street clothes. When we got to my house, he accepted my invitation in and sat on the porch swing with me. He leaned in and kissed me so softly and sweetly. I wasn't expecting that. His mouth was warm and molded to mine perfectly. His hands cupped my chin as he tilted my head for a better angle and lightly ran his tongue over my lips, asking for admittance. I opened my mouth for him and he deepened the kiss, massaging my tongue with his own. Holy cow, that was something.

But in the back of my mind, I couldn't help thinking that it wasn't knee-weakening like Eric's had been. Bad brain, no thinking about that asshole. Focus on the hot guy kissing you now.

We sat on the porch, just kissing, for a little while longer before he had to go. He said he's be there in the morning at the same time to pick me up. I know I was walking around after he left with a goofy grin on my face that was not caused by smoking anything.

My mom noticed and asked me about the "nice boy" that drove me to school. At dinner, I told her and Daddy about Rasul and the play. Mom hopped on the fact that he had driven me home two days in a row and was planning on picking me up again tomorrow. You would think she was a teenager again by how giddy she was over _my_ life. It was a little disturbing, but I was used to it.

I dressed with care again the next morning. I pulled out some khaki hiphuggers and a gray button down sleeveless shirt. It was another backstage day, so I dressed for comfort and coolness. I slid my sandals on and ran to the kitchen to grab some breakfast before Rasul picked me up.

I got a quick kiss on my cheek when he opened the door for me. We drove to school and he pulled into the same spot as yesterday He opened the door again for me and held out his hand to help me from the car. As he closed the door behind me he leaned in and whispered, "So beautiful, Sookie," and kissed me.

I heard a door slam hard and looked around. I saw the red Camero rocking and the form of Eric leaning against the car. He wasn't looking in our direction. Hmm... wonder what put him in a mood that he would potentially ding his baby.

**EPOV**

I told Pam good luck before leaving that day and she squeaked like I had told her I kicked a puppy. Apparently, it's bad luck to say "good luck" to someone on stage. You said "break a leg". Well, that was just stupid. I mumbled it as I walked out to my car. At least I was trying.

As I pulled into the lot, I saw the blue Taurus behind me. They parked on the other end of the lot from me. As I got out I glanced in their direction and saw him kissing her. Kissing? And not just a peck either. I slammed my door with more force than I had intended but the cracking echo it made across the rapidly filling parking lot caused heads to turn. I turned away, not wanting to draw anymore attention to myself than I already had.

What the fuck was wrong with me?

**A/N: I hope the pre-story note helped clear up some lingering confusion. Like I said, for the most part, I have this whole ride in my head, except for the ending. I have such a clear picture, I would say it's likely, though not guaranteed, to have at least 2 more chapters posted by the end of Monday. Also, I am more or less 15-18 years out of high school, so I'm describing it as i remember it. Sorry to any of my younger readers who may disagree, but what are you doing reading an "M" story anyway? Tonight is TB night, so no promises after 9 pm EST. Only 2 episodes left. I kinda want to cry. Also, mad love to you guys for favoriting and alerting and most of all, reviewing. I had a great time answering questions earlier, so please keep it up! Love you guys! MMMWWWAAAHH!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Alrighty, again, want to address any confusion. Sookie is 15 and a sophomore, Eric is 17 and a junior, Rasul is 18 and a senior. Pam is 13 and in 8****th**** grade, but is in the play because "Oliver!" has a large cast of young kids and middle schoolers are in the production. Sorry if none of that was clear. It's how things were done at my high school in the drama department. Want to mention the premise of this story again. If you don't like how things are going between Eric and Sookie: Listen. To. The. Song. I don't know if I would call it "angst" per say, but Eric is going to be a grumpy gus for awhile. As much as I love him, it's fun to write. As much as I wish I could say that I own the characters, but not the mistakes, I can't. I can only claim the errors. The characters are Charlaine's. Enjoy!**

**SPOV**

The rest of the productions went off like clockwork. Tray, Amelia, JB, and Tara all came to see the Friday evening show and took me out afterward for a late breakfast-dinner at IHOP. I had hoped to see Holly and Alcide, but I guess he was boycotting. It really sucked, but they met us after dinner in Tara's field. We got nicely toasted before relaxing in front of the campfire.

That Sunday, I had to get up early and get to school for the community matinee. Sunday was hell on everyone: two shows. I didn't worry about getting dressed up nicely, because everyone was going to get messy. Sweat combined with stage makeup and multiple performances did not make for a nice atmosphere. Knowing that dust and grime would be flying around, I left my contacts out and wore my glasses and kept my hair in a ponytail. Simplicity at its finest.

I got everyone ready for the first show of the day, but attributed the lack of response by, well, _anyone_, to pre-show nerves and the heat. After the show started, I went across the street to the ice cream shop and got a peach milkshake. I sat in the shade outside the auditorium and enjoyed my treat and the afternoon breeze.

"Sookie? Sook? You need to wake up." I opened my eyes to a tall silhouette standing over me. I blinked as I looked around. The sun was closer to the horizon and the parking lot was mostly empty. Fuck. I took the hand that was being held out to help me up. I rubbed my eyes under my glasses. "What time is it?"

"It's around six. You need to get inside to help get shit done for the next show, right?"

"Umm, yeah." I focused on my new personal alarm clock. It was Eric. My eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"My parents and I took Pam out to a late lunch after the matinee and we're staying to watch this performance. I know she only has a minor role, but she's proud. She likes you."

"She's sweet, but she certainly doesn't hesitate to tell you what's on her mind. I like that," I said, thinking of some of the conversations I'd had with his sister backstage. "She's jealous of you."

"I know, and she'd probably dismember you for telling me that." I laughed, but he said in a somber tone, "I'm serious," before he laughed himself.

Before we could say anything more, Rasul came up to me. "Sookie, I was worried. Where did you go?"

I chuckled at myself. "Apparently, I went to sleep. I wanted to enjoy the air while I could. Is everyone back for the second show?"

"Yes. We need to get back inside. Melanie's frantic trying to get everyone ready by herself."

"Shit. Sorry. Enjoy the show, Eric," I said as Rasul and I ran back into the auditorium. As soon as we got backstage, Melanie started shooting me dirty looks. "Sorry, hon. I fell asleep. Long day, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know. Show starts at six-thirty. We need to get everyone ready. Costumes have been handed back out. You get started on the chorus and I'll work on the leads. It's make or break time."

Have I mentioned that Melanie takes her crew job a little too seriously? Make or break? "Mel, why don't we work on the cast that is on stage first and work on the rest after them? Some cast isn't even on stage until the end of Act One. We have time for everyone."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes more sense. Okay, Workhouse cast up first," she called and I took care of getting the "orphans" suitably grimy while she got the leads dolled up.

We worked our way through the scenes chronologically until the whole cast was done up. _This_ was why I liked having an organized area. If I accidentally fall asleep between shows and wake up half an hour before show time.

The performance was a success and the cast had to take several bows. I always liked the last show. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment to see it through to the end. We congratulated the cast as they came backstage to change out of their costumes and makeup. A lot of the cast had friends and family join them backstage so it was loud and chaotic. Rasul found me and spun me around, kissing me. I laughed when he put me down. "So are you going to the cast party?" I asked. One of the other good things about working on the crew was the party after the last show. You may not know it from their looks, but these drama kids knew how to throw down, given the opportunity.

"Of course. Makes all the hard work worth it. Will you come with me?" he asked and I had to grin,

"Absolutely. Why don't you get out of character and I'll meet you at your car," I said as I started to get everything reorganized so it would be easy to put away when we broke set.

He went to remove his makeup and get out of costume. I turned to get back to work cleaning and ran face first into a soft wall. I backed up, rubbing my forehead, and saw Eric. Again. He put his hands on my shoulders to keep me from moving past him. I huffed. "Eric, I have work to do. What do you want?"

"Why are you avoiding me?" he asked and I felt my eyes widen in surprise.

"I'm not avoiding you. We don't hang out together. We would have to do that before I could avoid you. I'm simply going about my day as you go about yours. Our paths don't cross," Ego much, Mr. Popularity?

"You know what I mean. I thought after the party..," he trailed off and I know shock flickered across my face before I met his gaze. I pulled him into a corner and kept my voice at a low hiss.

"The party? The same one that I came to stoned out of my gourd and bummed cigarettes off some cocky motherfucker? Oh, and that same cocky motherfucker got freaked out by the fact that I'm a virgin and left me stranded in the fucking woods? Yeah, I remember walking the fuck home from that party. Nothing else happened. Am I missing something?" I dared him to say anything else.

"Nothing else happened? Are you shitting me?" he asked in an incredulous whisper.

"No, seriously. Am I forgetting something important? Did _anything_ life changing happen at this fucking party that would cause me to suddenly start crossing your path more then I have in the past. Or that would cause me to avoid you? Because _nothing_ that I can recollect even causes a blip on my radar. I think I have pretty good recall of that night. Am I missing something?" I asked. I wanted to know what he was thinking, because, honestly, I was able to recall that night perfectly. Other than some heavy making out, seriously rounding third base and about to slide into home before he freaked out and left, there was nothing that would cause me to alter my daily patterns.

"Sookie, you know more happened than that," he started, then his face locked down. Rasul put his hand on my shoulder.

"Are you ready to go? We're starting the party at Applebee's so we can eat." he said and I smiled at him, hoping it didn't look too fake.

"Absolutely. Let's go. Eric, tell Pam congratulations on her hard work. She's a sweet girl," I said as I walked away with Rasul's arm around my waist.

We went and ate dinner with the rest of the cast, the director picking up the tab. That was the "official" (read: school sanctioned) cast party. The _real_ party was afterward and only involved the high school cast and crew. As necessary as the younger cast members were to the production, it was generally accepted that they were too young for some of the activities that went on afterward.

Lafayette Reynolds, who played Fagin, had a large barn on his family's property that had been renovated and wired to that it was the perfect place to hold a party. Shortly after the cars pulled in, music was blaring and disco lights were flashing. Laffy pulled me from the wall and started dancing with me.

"Suga, what's goin' on wich you and the Spanish bon-bon over there?" he asked while spinning me around.

I laughed. "We're having a good time. He's sweet."

"Honey, the looks he givin' you when you ain't lookin' are more than 'sweet'. He look like he just want to eat you whole!"

"Laffy!" I squeaked. "He does not!"

"Take a look next time you face his direction and you tell me he don't want you six ways from Sunday," he said with a smirk and spun me again. Sure enough, Rasul was watching us with what could only be called a "hungry" expression.

**EPOV**

I couldn't believe Mom had talked me into this. But I was going to try being a better brother to Pam, seeing as how we were going to be at the same school for the first time in years in the fall. And I knew this drama stuff was important to her. God knew that she had put up with our parents coming to games of mine whenever they could and she was enjoying her time in the limelight.

We picked her up from the school after the afternoon show and took her to lunch. She talked about the different cast and crew members that she has made friends with and was looking forward to seeing more of them once she started high school. She was especially taken with Sookie and wouldn't stop talking about her.

After lunch, we drove her back so she could get ready for the evening performance and I wandered around outside, not really wanting to be cooped up in the old, stuffy auditorium just yet. I was enjoying the late spring warmth, with just a hint of evening coolness, when I saw the last thing I expected. Against the brick, in the corner between two buildings, was a sleeping blond. I walked over and saw it was Sookie, back in her glasses and ponytail. In a way, it was endearing. I felt more comfortable around _this_ version of Sookie. The dressed-to-kill, insanely hot Sookie made me tongue-tied.

I tapped, then lightly shook her shoulder, trying to wake her. "Sookie? Sook? You need to wake up," I said softly. I didn't want to spook her. She opened her eyes and looked around, confused. She asked the time as I held out my hand to help her off the ground. I told her and explained why I was at the school on a Sunday evening. We talked about Pam and it was the most natural conversation I had ever had with her. And then the Spanish dickhead and to come up and ruined everything. She told me to enjoy the show while she ran off with him to get backstage.

I watched the show with my parents and, for a high school production, it seemed very well done. The cast was good and at the curtain call, my dad walked up and gave Pam a bouquet of roses. She told us that friends and family could come backstage after the last show and we followed her down the back stairs.

I heard a squealing giggle and saw Sookie spinning in the arms of that asshole, kissing him. Why did that bother me? I had asked myself that very question multiple times over the past week and was never able to give myself a satisfactory answer. He went into one of the other rooms and she starting organizing things with a sappy smile on her face. I walked closer and she ran into me.

I asked her why she was avoiding me. Huh? The explanation of how she couldn't avoid me since we didn't have any kind of relationship that involved any kind of contact was perfectly logical. When I asked about the party, her bright blue eyes got stormy and she pulled me over into a corner away from eavesdroppers. She let me have it about how she thought I was a cocky motherfucker and an asshole for leaving her in the woods. Well, I agreed with that sentiment one hundred fucking percent. It had been eating at me all week. I know I'm not the nicest guy, but I knew I was better than that. I had been flustered and off my game. But to say that _nothing_ had happened that caused a "blip on her radar" blew my mind. I had taken her virginity and it was _nothing_? We needed to talk and I needed to figure out why the fuck this was messing with my mind so much when, _again_, the damn asshat from the Old World came to take her away. I watched them walk towards his car together and I wanted more than anything to shove him through a fucking wall.

Pam was going to Applebee's for the cast party and would get a ride home from there. I rode home with my parents and holed up in my room to finish up some homework. It was useless though. I couldn't think about anything but _her_.

**SPOV**

Rasul claimed for a slow dance when the song changed and Lafayette let me go with a knowing smirk on his face. He wrapped his arm tightly around my waist and held me close. He kissed and sucked on my neck, making my knees wobbly and pulse stutter. He maneuvered us into a dark corner and began kissing me in a way that he hadn't yet. These kisses were hard and passionate. I returned them with enthusiasm.

I had to be honest with myself. I knew that this thing with Rasul wasn't going to be anything permanent. Point A: I had never had any kind of relationship before. Point B: after graduation, he was going back to Spain, five thousand miles away. There's long distance relationships, but then there's just ridiculous. Point C: I was fifteen freaking years old. That's too young for anything serious. But, there was nothing wrong with having a little bit of fun.

I pulled him over to one of the random thrift-store love seats that Laffy had scattered though out and we started making out in earnest. My hands were tangled in his dark, wavy hair and his hands roamed my body. He slid his hands under my t-shirt and tentatively palmed my breasts. "God, Sookie, you are so beautiful," he whispered into my neck.

Nope, nothing at all wrong with having a little bit of fun.

**A/N: Everyone still on board? Think you know where I'm going with this? Have you listened to the song? I had **_**a lot**_** of fun with this chapter and am looking forward to the rest of the ride. Seriously, I am **_**Blown Away**_** by the response this has gotten. You guys absolutely rock. Please continue letting me know what you think of this little ditty. MMMMWWWWWAAAAAHH!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Again, not a lot to say here. Poor Eric is all kinds of twisted up and doesn't know what to do. But, really, it's his own damn fault. I have no problem admitting that, as much as I love (LOVELOVELOVE) Eric, this is so much fucking fun to write. I went a little long, because I'm covering a lot of time here and a lot happens. I try as best as I can to proofread, but I can only lay claim to the mistakes. The characters are all Charlaine's. Enjoy...**

**EPOV**

I dreaded this time of year. I knew it was coming. There was only a month and a half until the end of school, so I should have known. The fucking prom. Bill, Clancy, and Max were already determining who they were going to take, discussing the girls like they were sides of beef.

"Thalia would look kick-ass on one of those tight, clingy little dresses"

"But Isabelle would be more fun for the after-party, ya know?"

"Heidi's dad owns that Italian place. We could eat for free."

"Yeah, but Felicia's like, a sure thing. You wouldn't even have to try!"

"For fuck's sake, guys. It's the fucking prom. It's a dance. A _school_ dance," I muttered. "We never go to these things."

"What's shoved up your ass, Northman. You're all about getting pussy. Prom equals pussy. A tux, a limo, a few dances, and you're in."

"It's a waste of fucking time and money is what it is." I didn't feel like explaining that I had no desire whatsoever to go to this dance with one of the admittedly numerous girls that I had already fucked. And, honestly, it can get a bit incestuous in our little clique. Everyone that could get together already had and it was just accepted that whoever you went out with had already been with one of your friends first.

I also didn't feel like explaining that I was still all kinds of twisted up over Sookie fucking Stackhouse. I could walk down the hall right now and point to just about any girl and have her in my backseat with a smile. But one of the hottest girls I have ever seen walks into my life and nothing I do is right with her. Yes, it was truly shallow that I hadn't noticed her before, but what can I say? I'm a fucking teenager. Teenage boys don't look for "inner beauty" or shit like that.

I had already tuned those fuckers out when I heard "Sookie" and started paying attention. "What?" I asked.

Bill smirked at me. "I think I have an in with getting Sookie to go to prom with me. She is so fucking hot now and I've known her since we were kids. Her grandmother just loves me. I think I'll get Adele to talk me up next time I mow her grass or something."

"You know she and that exchange student are going out, right?" I asked, ready to pop any hole I could in his theory.

"What? What fucking exchange student?"

It was my turn to smirk. "The one that was in the play. Rasul, the guy from Spain. They've been going out for a few weeks now."

"And how the fuck do you know that?" Max asked, I swear just to push my buttons.

"Pam talked about them hooking up backstage. And anytime you see Sookie, he's right around the fucking corner. They're attached at the fucking lip." Yeah, so I sounded bitter. I thought I had a right to.

Clancy started to speak up. "Eric, something's different with you. What the fuck, man?" Yeah, this was our version of connecting emotionally.

"It's nothing. Forget it. So are we really going to do this 'prom' thing?" I asked.

"Brother, it's tradition. Suck it up," Bill said.

So suck-it-up I did. I ended up asking one of the nurse's aids that worked with my mom at the hospital, Claudine. She was only a year or two older than me, working on her nursing degree at the community college. I had talked to her a few times when I had done some errands for Mom if she was stuck at work on a long shift. She was beautiful, tall with long black hair and caramel colored eyes. There would be no pressure to "seal the deal" with her, but it would also make my "friends" shit themselves with jealousy that I had this hot, older woman. I just didn't have the hot girl that I wanted.

**SPOV**

God, this whole "boyfriend" thing was fun! Since the play was over, we had more free time to spend together. I still hung out with my girls; we declared one night a week "No Boys Allowed" and did our girly things. It was good to have our own time.

Alcide was becoming more of a dick. Whenever Rasul met up with me or was even mentioned around him, he did this weird, rumbly, growly thing that honestly freaked me out. I was surprised that it didn't piss Holly off, but she just rubbed his head, like she was soothing a dog. Their relationship was weird.

Rasul continued to pick me up for school and take me home. Our relationship progressed naturally in all the usual ways. He would take me out on dates and after school, since the house was empty, we would make out on the couch and, more than once, took the adventure to my bedroom. We'd had a few harrowing escapes from that situation. Jason came home early from work once and had to be talked out of introducing Rasul to the business end of his shotgun. Unfortunately, it also led to my parent's making the new rule of no boys in my room if they weren't home. But honestly, there had been no reason for that rule to even exist before.

When Rasul brought up prom, I thought he was kidding, but he apparently really wanted to go. And the girly part of me was excited about getting all dressed up. My mom giggled and clapped like a little girl when I told her I had to find a dress. She, Tara, and I took a day trip to find what we would need, since Tara would be going too. We went into Macy's and I found my dress almost immediately.

It was a short dress, above the knee. It was strapless, sequined and iridescent blue and I would _never_ have had the courage to wear something like it before. Tara went the more traditional route, with a floor length dress in a wine color, but it had one shoulder and a slit to mid-thigh. But we both felt lucky, finding dresses we loved on our first store. We made appointments for hair and nails the day of the dance and giggled like school girls.

Rasul and I went out to eat one night before prom and I figured we needed to have a serious conversation. We had broached the whole "sex" thing in the abstract, but it was becoming harder and harder for us to stop before things went too far.

We drove to a little overlook that was private and conducive to _so_ many other things than talking. He started kissing me and, as usual, I had a hard time keeping my thoughts in order when his lips touched my skin. I gently pushed him back and looked him in the eye. "We need to talk."

He looked like I had told him I needed to drown a kitten and smiled at him. "No, not that kind of talk. I just need to know a few things." I could see the relief on his face and continued. "Where do you see this thing between us going? I know you're going back to Spain after graduation. I've known that from the start, just like you have." He nodded. "But I just have to know... are you planning on having sex with me before you leave?"

Yeah, I probably could have worded that better. That was not the question he was expecting and the surprise showed. "I mean, if you aren't, that's fine," I said quickly. "But if you want to, we need to get some details ironed out, the sooner, the better."

"Sookie, I would love nothing more than to make love with you," he said and I had to keep from grimacing. I liked him a lot, but I was not in love with him and I knew I wouldn't be by the time he left either. "But I want it to be special for you." I kept thinking back to a towel in the woods with someone else completely and mentally told my brain to cut that shit out.

"I want to," I told him. "I'm not on any kind of birth control, so we would need protection." He nodded again. "And I'm a virgin. I'm just throwing that out there, so you're not freaked out or surprised by it." Again with the surprise? Really? I'm only fifteen! I don't want to know what these guys think I've been doing. I guess the look on my face said that clearly, in any language.

"Sookie, I apologize for my surprise. It is unusual for someone so beautiful and smart and confident like you are to not have had many other... suitors. I'm honored that you would let me be your first," he said and it was my turn to be surprised. I had only started to get noticed in the past few weeks, when I made it a point to no longer be invisible. Since then, sure I'd had some sleazy propositions in the halls, but nothing I would consider an actual "offer".

We ironed out more details, like when and where. As cliched as it was, we settled on after the prom.

**EPOV**

This was such a fucking pain in the ass. Claudine told me that her dress was "fire engine" red and I had to get a tux and fucking corsage to coordinate. Max was going with Thalia and Heidi was Clancy's date. Bill ended up asking Yvetta, one of the JV cheerleaders. He said that if I could fish out of our usual group, then he could too. He was such a smug motherfucker. Why was I friends with him again?

We decided that everyone would meet at Bill's house and take the limo to dinner from there. Parents stood around taking pictures for fucking ever and "aww-ing" to the point of nausea, at least on my part.

I was miserable and I didn't even know why _she_ was making me this way. I couldn't figure it out. Girls fucking tripped over each other to get with me, even with the fuck-and-run reputation I had earned. Hell, I was used to clingy and possessive. It went with the territory. What I wasn't used to was avoidance, nonchalance, and fucking denial.

We ended up going to Heidi's dad's Italian place and watched all the girls except Claudine order tiny little side salads for dinner. What the fuck? So they could be crabby and grumpy from hunger all night? What was the point of looking good if they made every one around them miserable? Never had and never will see the point to that. Food was meant to be enjoyed.

We got to the gym that had been made over by volunteers from the Junior class. They picked the dumbest theme: Here's to the Night. A fucking 11 year old song by some one-hit wonder band? What the hell? We made our way into the gym, which I had to admit, didn't look much like a gym anymore. There were purple and silver streamers and decorations, so it looked okay... it just still smelled like sweat from old basketball games. I guess you can't be choosy.

Claudine pulled me up for a dance. With her heels, she was just an inch or two shorter than me, which was an odd sensation. She didn't do anything cliched, like put her head on my shoulder, which I was thankful for. She noticed my distraction. "Have you seen her yet?" she asked softly.

"Her who?" I asked, because I'm a dumb fuck and hadn't realized I'd been looking for her.

"The one you want to be here with and can't have," she stated plainly.

Yeah, I'm a fucking window. I needed to stop this shit fast.

**SPOV**

Tara and I got our hair done and had the whole mani-pedi treatment. We were both excited. JB and Rasul were meeting us at my house. We were driving separately since we would be leaving the dance at different times. Rasul had wanted to see my dress, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I just told him the shade of blue to ask for with the tuxedo and corsage. We had all agreed on Tex-Mex for dinner. I loved the idea of going into one of those dark, dinky restaurants in our formal wear. But I made sure I had mints in my purse.

My mom saved my skin, offering to do my makeup for me. Yeah, I know, I can do it for other people backstage, but I never wear the stuff myself. Remember, I prefer sleep to primping. After I slipped my dress on and added the strappy silvery sandals that my mom had found, I looked in the mirror. Wow. I didn't look much like myself, but I looked _damn_ good.

That evaluation was echoed my Tara, Daddy, and Jason when I came out to wait for my date. When he pulled up, he stopped short when I opened the door.

"My God, Sookie. You are breathtaking," he whispered just loud enough for me to hear him. I gave him a quick hug and brought him in to formally introduce him to my parents. (Jason just shot him dirty looks and quietly reminded him of the shotgun.)

My mom went camera happy once JB showed up and had us in all different groups, saying that she'd promised Tara's parents plenty of pictures since they hadn't been able to get off work. After about forty-five minutes and two full memory cards, I called an end to the photo shoot so we could go to dinner. I was fricking hungry and I could hear chicken tacos and guacamole calling my name.

Dinner was nice, all of us laughing over the weird looks we got from the staff in our finery. Rasul roughly translated what they were saying, since Mexico and Spain have different dialects of the same language. I thoroughly enjoyed my tacos and guac. It was difficult eating neatly though.

We pulled up to the gym and I was impressed how nicely it was decorated, even if still smelled like PE classes. Rasul presented our tickets and we, in return, were given little tea light candles with the theme of the night etched into the glass. "Here's to the Night," I read and looked up at Rasul. "Seems like a nice idea."

He led me out to dance and held me close. "You have never looked more beautiful, Sookie. I am so lucky to have the most amazing girl I've ever met in my arms tonight," he whispered in my ear and yeah, that would be my breath catching right about then. He looked amazing in his tux, his black hair swept back and his eyes all glittery under the lights.

I danced with Tara a few times to some of the faster songs and JB a couple of times. Rasul kissed my cheeks and said he had to call to check in with his host family. I sat in one of the purple draped chairs to catch my breath. I was excited about tonight. I had a little idea of what to expect, but this was going to be a night of new experiences for me.

And all of a sudden the reason I had even the slightest idea of what to expect was in front of me. I had to admit that he made a tux look good too, the black of the suit setting off his blond hair and blue eyes. "Will you dance with me, Sookie?"

I looked around for Rasul and I figured he was still on the phone. I hesitated and he held out his hand. "It's just one dance."

"Fine," I huffed and took his hand. Yeah, the fucking DJ would pick that moment to play the theme song for the night.

_So denied so I lied are you the now or never kind  
>In a day and a day love I'm gonna be gone for good again<br>Are you willing to be had are you cool with just tonight  
>Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well<br>_ "Who the fuck thought this was a good song for prom?" I had to ask I swayed in his arms.

"Shush, just listen and dance," he whispered back._  
>Here's to the nights we felt alive<br>Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
>Here's to goodbye<br>Tomorrow's gonna come too soon_

_Put your name on the line along with place and time  
>Wanna stay not to go I wanna ditch the logical<br>Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well  
><em>

_Here's to the nights we felt alive  
>Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry<br>Here's to goodbye  
>Tomorrow's gonna come too soon<em>

_All my time is froze in motion  
>Can't I stay an hour or two or more<br>Don't let me let you go  
>Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well<em>

_Here's to the nights we felt alive  
>Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry<br>Here's to goodbye  
>Tomorrow's gonna come too soon <em>

"Well, that song is just fucking depressing," I said as the dance, thankfully, ended.

"Sookie, you look beautiful tonight," he said, quietly, still not speaking over a loud whisper.

"I need to get back to my date, Eric. Thanks for the dance," I said, seeing Rasul return to the gym.

"Everything is set. Are you ready to go?" he said with a huge smile on his face.

My smile matched his. "More than ready. Let me say goodbye to Tara and JB and we can be on our way."

I gave them hugs and joined Rasul to go out to his car.

**EPOV**

Why is this happening? She _would_ walk in looking like a fucking goddess or fairy or something. That shimmery, sparkly dress was completely her and with the heels she had, her legs looked a mile long. She had gone with a short dress and showed those mile-long legs off too much. Too much for my liking. Too much for me to keep my fucking eyes off her.

Claudine followed my gaze. "So that's her?"

"Yeah."

Not much else to be said, especially when that Spanish fucker pulled her onto the dance floor and held her close.

At least she seemed to be having fun. She danced with her friend and her friend's boyfriend. That gave me hope. Maybe she'd take me up on a dance later on. I saw my chance when her date (and I hated how that sounded, even in my head) went to make a phone call and she sat down.

The damn DJ chose that moment to play the prom's theme song. I had to keep from laughing when Sookie asked who had picked this as the theme. I had thought that from the start. We danced through the rest of the song. Even though I didn't hold her as close as I wanted, it was something.

I had to tell her. I wanted a chance to get her alone and try to figure out how she had me so twisted up over her. But she left to rejoin the asshole. I knew the smile he was giving her. I had my own version of it. It was the "I'm gonna get some", shit-eating smile. And damn if she didn't have the same fucking smile. I felt nauseous again.

**A/N: Please tell me no one is hating me. You all had completely fair warning when I posted the lyrics at the beginning of the very first chapter. Umm.. if you're interested, I've posted links to Sookie's and Tara's dresses on my profile. The prom's theme was "Here's to the Night" by Eve 6. I personally love that song, even as depressing as it is. I want to thank abso-fucking-lutely everyone who has favorited and alerted this story, because this was a little weird idea that came to me listening to my Ipod. And I especially want to thank everyone who has reviewed. We don't get any kind of compensation for writing and the reviews make the work all worth it. So please continue to review.. Love you all for continuing to read! MMMMWWWWAAAAHHHH!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Just a quick note. The updates on this will be a little slower now that I'm back at work. The long holiday weekend was nice, but back to the grind. Umm, you will notice that I skipped some time at the start of this chapter. That's because, while I liked Sookie's romance with Rasul, it just feels wrong to write her getting down with anyone but Eric. I've tried and it honestly creeps me out. So, on with the story. I know you'll forgive me. Charlaine owns them; I'm just corrupting them for my own pleasure.**

**SPOV**

I stood in the airport, not wanting to leave until I absolutely had to. Rasul was leaving. Prom night had been absolutely amazing and he continued to treat me like a princess afterward. No, I wasn't in love with him. But he _was_ special to me and I knew I'd remember him forever. I was sad that he was leaving.

He held me tightly to him before he had to pass through security and wiped the tears off my cheeks with his thumbs. "_Bonita_ Sookie, don't cry. We'll write and call. It won't be over," he whispered

But it was. I knew it. He knew it. It was a perfect first romance, but it was over now. Between prom and graduation, we had been together several more times, and each time was better than the one before. He taught me about my body, what I liked and what I didn't, and what I needed to have that amazing explosion of pleasure.

I had finally called up every bit of courage I had and got my mom to take me to her doctor to go on birth control. I have to say that I don't think _that_ situation was one of the pleasing mother-daughter conversations she had had in mind when I was born. After debating the options, and knowing my faulty memory when it came to taking any kind of medication, we decided on the shot. Despite some of my friends saying that it made them gain weight, I didn't and the missed periods were _heaven_!

Rasul and I kissed for the last time before he said goodbye to his host family and passed through the scanners to get to his gate. They drove me back home, still crying. I couldn't help it. I did care for him. Just not enough to let myself fall in love with him. Spain was too far away.

I let myself have a sad day. I sat on the couch eating Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream and watching sappy movies from the eighties. You can't beat "Pretty In Pink" and "Say Anything" when you're in a sentimental mood.

But I got over it. Damnit, I was turning sixteen soon! Like, in two weeks. Tara had another "camp out" in her field with me, Amelia, and Holly and the guys. As soon as Alcide found out that Rasul was out of the country, he was all ready with the innuendo and smarmy looks. I was over that shit.

Once we were all reasonably toasted and Amelia and Holly were dancing, I took the moment to grab his massive arm and pull him away from the campfire. "What the fuck, Alc?'

He tried to look like he had no idea what I was talking about. "What the fuck what, Sook?"

"Look, you're with Holly. I don't give a shit if you're exclusive or not. She's my friend and this shit has got to stop. She acts like she doesn't notice, but no girl is that fucking blind. And, frankly, it makes me fucking uncomfortable. I'm fine with hanging out. I like you and Tray and I know you guys are a package deal. But just please stop. The little comments, the looks, all of it. It just seriously creeps me out, more than anything." I had thought I'd made my case and position pretty damn clear.

"Well, hell, Sook. All you had to do was say something. I just liked watching you turn all pink. If it bugs you that much, I'll stop," he said reasonably. But then he had to talk again, and the moment was ruined. "But I'll be right here if you ever change your mind."

Fuck. I rejoined Tara, JB, and Tray by the campfire and smoked until I went to sleep on the blanket in the grass. Thank God I had sprayed myself down with mosquito repellant before we went out. Otherwise, I would have woken up looking like a leper.

Tray did his generous thing and left us a parting gift in the morning before he, Alcide, and JB drove off. We went back to Tara's house and Amelia and Holly left also. Tara took me up to her room and cracked a window after stuffing towels by the crack under the door. She lit one of the joints Tray had left and passed it to me when she had her hit.

"Spill, sweetie. How are you now that he's gone?"

"Honestly? I'm actually okay. I knew it was a short term thing going into it. He was amazing and everything was great, but it all had an expiration date, ya know?" I took a couple of puffs and passed the joint back to her.

"And you were okay with that? Losing the v-chip to a guy that wasn't going to stick around?" She was surprised, as just about anyone else who knew me would have been.

"I was and still am. I don't regret one single second of my time with him. Not a bit. But I'm also okay with him being gone. I wasn't in love with him. I liked him a lot, I cared for him, and he was a great guy. But I don't even know what the fuck love is." I took a break in my monologue to hit the joint again. "He'll always be my first and I'll always remember him. But I'm too damn young to have some sort of 'together forever' kind of relationship. I just stopped being invisible a couple of months ago. I want to have some fun!"

She puffed and passed. "What brought that change on, anyway? One day, you're in Jase's old clothes; the next your in all these little numbers that show off your hot little body. 'Cuz you _have_ to know that you're smokin', right Sook?

"I'm not. Not like the cheerleaders or dance squad. But, I was so used to hiding everything that I didn't realize I might have a little something worth showing off. I just realized that if I put forth an effort, it might make high school a little more fun."

"But what happened, Sookie. You're not telling me something," she said, and she was right. I hadn't told _anyone_ about the field party. And Tara had the uncanny ability to read me like a fucking book.

So I told her. About being forced to go to the damn party while I was still baked out of my mind and bumming smokes off Eric fucking Northman. At that name, I thought her eyes would fall out of her head they were so wide. I told her about the making out in the woods and the almost first time and how he just left me there when he found out I was a virgin. She actually cackled at that and I think she mumbled "Not a problem anymore" before I joined her laughter. But I could be that just about anything would have struck us as funny then. Tray's shit was _strong_.

She drove me home after we raided the fridge for lunch with a severe case of munchies. I managed to make it into my room unhindered and pulled out a book, but it was impossible to read with my fuzzy head. I starting thinking about my birthday. I wanted to do something fun with my friends, but not some huge, debutante, "Sweet Sixteen" monstrosity that would please my mom to no end. I had seen that there was a big fair opening on July first about forty minutes away. My parents had never taken me and Jason had never taken me either. That. I wanted to spend the day at the lake, then go to the fair with my friends and ride rides and eat greasy unidentifiable fair food and play stupid, overpriced games for cheap crap. I broached the subject with my parents at dinner that night.

"But sweetheart, You looked so pretty at prom and thought we could put together a dance floor in yard and some tents and have a big party," Mom practically whined.

"Michelle, hush. It's her birthday and she can do what she wants," Daddy said, shutting her down and I knew that once he had his say, it was a done deal.

The morning of my birthday, I spent a couple of hours at the DMV taking the driving test and getting my official license. I no longer had to have a registered driver over the age of eighteen in the car with me while I was at the wheel and the freedom was _glorious_! I went to pick up Tara for my first day driving. We changed into our bathing suits and put the top down. We sang along with songs on the radio at the top of our lungs in _my_ car. Daddy had surprised me that morning with a dark blue Cabrio convertible that I just loved. He had gotten it off one of the guys he worked with for cheap since it was about to be repossessed.

She and I went to the lake, laid out on the little beach and rented Sea-doos to play on. We had made plans for Amelia and Holly to meet me at my house later and I would drive us to the fair. The guys would meet us there since my car wouldn't hold seven people. I couldn't wait!

**EPOV**

Thank God school was over. Since I didn't have to see _her_ everyday, maybe I could get her the fuck out of my head. And I had about six weeks of leisure time. Then football practice would start. Nothing but whatever I wanted to do until then.

Pam had the same amount of free time as me and _someone_ had convinced me to try to be a better brother to her. After a couple weeks of sleeping in late and being a vegetable on the couch in the air conditioning, she convinced me to take her to the lake. We suited up (or down, depending on how you looked at it) and drove to the beach. She had arranged to meet up with some of her friends there and I did the same.

I saw Bill's dark blue pickup and Max's old-lady Oldsmobile in the parking lot. Pam jumped out of the car squealing to join a group of similarly squealing girls and they moved as a pack to the far end of the beach. I grabbed a cooler of sodas and headed down to the beach. The Sea-doos looked like fun and the guys and I thought we might rent a couple since laying on the beach was a "chick" thing.

_Of course_ the last two had just been rented. So we would have to wait for at least an hour. Fuck. We laid out our towels with one eye on the marina to see if any of the rentals came back early. We talked about the summer so far and what we were going to do with the remaining month before the sadistic hell of August pre-season football practice. Whoever thought that running drills in full pads in the hellish heat of a southern summer was fun would be sadly mistaken.

We saw a couple of Sea-doos racing each other out on the water. Damn, that looked so fun. I couldn't wait until some were available. I could see the blond ponytail of one of the riders trailing behind her and she took the lead from the brunette. She swung the vehicle in an arc on the water and went racing back the way they had come, looking behind her to see how close her competition was. When she reached the "No Wake" buoys first, she stood on the running boards with her arms raised in victory. When the other girl reached her, they rode off again together, no longer racing, but enjoying a ride on the water.

As it turned out, they were the first to return with their rentals. We were finishing up the paperwork to take them out when the girls came in to drop off the life jackets. Fuck. Me. This small-town shit makes it too damn easy to see someone you didn't want to see. But I wanted to see her as much as I didn't. God.

A fucking tiny-as-hell red and white polka dot string bikini., windblown hair and glowing skin from the sun. Why the fuck did she have to be so damn sexy? She didn't realize how completely hot she was. She didn't even turn her head when she and the other girls passed by us. Damn it.

"You know I only let you win 'cuz it's your birthday, bitch," the brunette said and Sookie laughed.

"Keep telling yourself that, Tara. I know it's just killing you that I kicked your ass and I haven't even had my license for 4 hours yet."

"How much time before we have to leave? I want to get some more sun."

"I'll call Mia and see what time the guys want to be at the fair. You know Tray will want to have a cook-out before hitting the rides."

She pulled out her phone as they continued walking away from us, so I didn't hear any other details, but I suddenly had an idea of what we were going to do tonight. Yeah, I was a stupid shit.

**SPOV**

I love the summer. Warmth and sun. What is there _not_ to love. Some people feel smothered by the humidity; I thrived on it. By the time Tara and I left the lake, my skin was at least two shades darker and my hair was lighter. We were going to head to my house to eat, clean up, and change before Holly and Amelia showed up. I knew the fair wasn't the cleanest place, so I stuck to my cutoffs and a black and gray tank top. I grabbed my favorite black sandals and after I made a turkey sandwich for both of us, we ate and sat on the porch waiting for Mia and Holly.

When Amelia pulled up alone, we were surprised. She and Holly were usually inseparable. She said that Holly was feeling sick with some weird summer flu thing and couldn't go. So the three of us drove off to meet the guys in the parking lot for the fair.

It was as expected. Tray had the top and doors off of his Jeep and didn't want to park until we were all satisfactorily baked. Somehow the three of us managed to wedge in around JB and Alcide, but a Jeep was _not_ made for 6 people. By the time he parked, we were all giggly and goofy. It was a perfect attitude for my birthday at the fair.

We bought our wristbands for the rides and went to wait in lines. Mia and Tray wanted the Ferris wheel. Tara and JB wanted the Gravitron (which I won't ride _ever_ – too many people get sick in that thing and it always smells like puke). So that left Alcide and I to ride my favorite: the Zipper. I don't know why flipping around in a tiny cage spinning in circles was so appealing, but I loved that ride. We worked our way through the rides on the way back toward the Ferris wheel where we were all meeting before eating. Amazingly, Alc was perfectly friendly, and not in the slimy way I had unfortunately gotten used to.

Tara and JB met us in front of the ride while we waited for Amelia and Tray to meet us. There were so many options for food there. Tray and Alc, naturally, wanted one of the giant turkey legs. JB was going to try a buffalo burger. Tara and Amelia went for hot dogs, but I had my eyes on some chili-cheese fries. We split up to get out food and met back at the little garden of picnic tables, just munching and hanging out. I had a feeling the fair would become a birthday tradition from then on.

**EPOV**

The guys were, not surprisingly, enthusiastic about going to the fair. I had no idea why I was torturing myself like this. I should have avoided anywhere _she_ was going to be like the fucking plague. I wanted to see if I could somehow get her alone. I wanted, no, _needed_ to talk to her if I was going to survive this summer with my sanity intact. There were too few hang out spots around town and we shared all of them. There was no logical way I could avoid her if I wanted to leave the house before August.

We piled into my Camero and drove the forty minutes to the fairgrounds. The fair was in full swing when we got there and to wait in line just to buy the damn wristbands. The first ride we came to was the gigantic spinning pedestal with the flying swings and I heard the same laughter from this morning coming from... above me? I looked up and saw a streamer of blond hair flying. Bill, Max, and Clancy looked up, following my eyes. I pretended I was watching nothing more than the ride.

"Come on, dude. This is a pussy ride. I wanna ride the Zipper," Max said. Clancy and Bill nodded in agreement.

"You guys go on. I want to ride this."

They left and I waited by the exit for the departing riders. I saw Sookie, staggering a little bit from being dizzy and she grabbed the arm of that guy Alcide to keep from falling on her ass. She had the same goofy grin that she had the night of the party and was giggling. Her other friends joined her and they all left the ride. I knew that she was going with a group, but did she _ever_ do anything alone? I wouldn't be able to talk to her at the fair; she obviously wasn't in the right frame of mind. I left the swings and went to meet the guys at their ride. There were a lot of people at the fair since it was opening night. The chances of running into her again were slim, right?

Actually, they were. We moved from ride to ride and ate and got heckled by the asshole in the dunking booth and Bill laid out close to twenty dollars trying to knock the guy into the gray looking water below him. Since it was the opening day, there was a fireworks show at the end of the night. It actually ended up being a really fun evening once I was able to clear my mind.

**SPOV**

I couldn't wait for the fireworks. Since I was little, I had always associated fireworks with my birthday, since it was so close to the Fourth of July. Tray got some blankets out of the Jeep and we made our way to a little patch of grass on the edge of the grounds that had a great view. We spread out the blankets on the now damp grass as the sky darkened. It had been a kick-ass birthday.

Amelia and Tray were cuddled together and Tara and JB were making out, oblivious to anyone else. Alcide and I sat side by side awkwardly. I wasn't about to get all cozy with him and I guess me telling him off before let him know where I stood if he tried. I reclined back on my elbows and looked up at the sky.

At the first whistle and bang, all the lights went down around the fair and the show began. I was past the "ooh and ahh" stage, but I always smiled while the fireworks were going off. It was a great twenty-minute display with an amazing finale. When the lights came back up, we were happy and tired and ready to head home. We girls split from the guys to go our separate ways and made the long ride home.

**A/N: So yeah, Sookie officially punched her v-card. Hope you don't mind me **_**not**_** getting graphic. Also, I don't see Eric as being all "stalker"-like. He is just suddenly noticing her,,, everywhere. He never noticed her before. And she's really **_**not**_** getting off on torturing him. She doesn't realize she is. How would she? She's stuck with her little circle of friends and has never associated with him aside from the night of the party. In her mind, there wasn't all that much to it and doesn't get why he's so hung up on it. I promise their talk is coming soon. I just wanted to get some things out of the way. Yeah, this chapter got away from me a little, but I wanted to update tonight, so please forgive any errors. And please review. I promise that I'm trying to get better about responding since I have my hubby's handy-dandy Netbook back. I love hearing your thoughts about this story. MMMWWWAAAAHHH!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Again, I had a LOT of fun with this chapter, so much so that I was giggling to myself at my desk and getting weird looks from the people around me. More at the end. Also, a big thanks to Storiesforevy... she'll recognize her contributions. Hugs, hon. Enjoy the next leg of this fucked up thrill ride fresh from my brain. Characters are Charlaine's; I'm just giving them a tan.**

**SPOV**

I had about a week to kill before Mom and Daddy would make me go out and find a job. Now that I had a car and a license, I had gas and insurance to pay for. Birthday gifts of cash from Jason, Gran, Aunt Sandy and Uncle Victor gave me a cushion, but I knew I would have to find something that paid by the end of the month.

I packed up my tote bag with a few bottles of partially frozen water, my I-pod, my book, a towel, my shimmery sesame oil, and a couple of snack sized bags of chips. I tied on my black bikini and pulled on some cutoffs. I was looking forward to some down time on the beach. I love my friends, but sometimes a girl just needs to be alone. I tossed the bag into the passenger seat and drove to the lake.

Since I left the house so early, the beach was almost empty when I got there. I found a prime spot of sand towards the edge, where it was easier to avoid running rugrats and flying sand. I slid on my headphones after pulling my hair off my back into a messy bun. I laid on my stomach and started reading _Atonement_. I loved the movie and couldn't wait to read the library scene.

After about an hour, I went to the water to cool off and returned to my towel. I put my book back in my bag and put my headphones back on as I switched to laying on my back. The morning sun felt so good. As the water evaporated from my skin, I started to feel itchy, so I slathered myself with my shimmery oil. I loved the sesame oil because it didn't make me smell like a tropical cocktail. I laid back down and ignored everything except the mix of hair metal, pop, and ninety's alternative flowing into my ears.

I spent the next couple of hours browning myself, flipping from back to front in regular intervals to make sure I roasted evenly. I really did love the summer and everything that came with it.

**EPOV**

Pam wanted to pick up one of her friends and go back to the lake. I figured a down day could be what I needed. I didn't feel like calling the guys; God knew I would see enough of them in a couple of weeks when football practice started.

We stuffed towels, snacks, and sunblock into a duffel bag and took off. It was a perfect afternoon to spend by the water: a cloudless blue sky with a light breeze. I stopped by Miriam's house and added her stuff to the bag before she climbed into the back seat with Pam.

We pulled into the rapidly filling parking lot. I had expected it to be less crowded. Then I realized it was the night of the beach party. The park department held monthly community parties at the beach every month between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Pam and Miriam scampered off to get a spot in the sand away from me. I went straight to the water to cool off. When I came back on the sand to get my towel and dry off, I saw possibly the most perfect sight I had ever seen and froze.

She fucking _shimmered_ under the sun. Sookie was laying on her back, so still I would have thought she was asleep until her hand started groping in her bag, bringing out a dripping bottle of water. After she sat up and drank about half the bottle, she pulled off her headphones and sunglasses, tossing them on her towel as she stood. She took down her hair and fell in waves down her back. She bounced down the sand to the water, wading in. Once she was waist deep, she sank her whole body under.

I took the opportunity to roll out my towel next to hers. We were alone. Well, as alone as we could be on a public beach. But none of our nosy ass friends were around to interrupt. I sat and watched the shore, waiting for her exit.

The should be a fucking law. Girls with bodies like hers shouldn't be allowed to wear clothes. Ever. Or, to keep the male population from becoming walking sundials, bring burkas over to America just for them. It was almost criminal how good she looked walking out of the water dripping wet in that little black bikini. She stumbled and her eyes widened in surprise to see me next to her spot.

"Happy belated birthday, Sookie," I said with a grin.

"Thanks, Eric," she replied, her tone and expression asking what the fuck was I doing there.

"This looked like a good spot to get away from the crowd gathering for the party," I explained.

"Fuck," she muttered, looking around. "I forgot about those damn parties. It's gonna be crowded as hell tonight."

I followed her gaze. "It doesn't start 'til sundown. You're good for a few more hours."

She sighed looking a the growing crowd on the sand. "What are you doing here?"

I smiled again. "Same as everyone else. Enjoying the sun and the water."

She rolled her eyes. "Not here, the beach. Here, next to my towel." She sat down and looked out at the water.

"Honestly?" I asked and was treated to another eye roll.

"No, tell me a lie. Yeah, honestly."

"Honestly, I have no fucking idea. I haven't been able to get you out of my head since the party."

"The same party that was almost three months ago? The same party where you left me half naked in the woods after you freaked out about my virginity? I just want to make sure I'm not forgetting some party I may have sleep walked to, or something. You've been thinking about me since then?"

I looked her in the eyes. Although her tone was calm, her eyes were sparking flames. She was pissed. I could work with pissed. Anger was a passionate emotion. She noticed me looking and put her sunglasses back on. "What was it about the party that got little ole me lodged in your head?"

I ran my fingers through my hair. I was so not used to this. "You're not like anyone I've ever met before, Sookie. I don't understand you. You're smart as hell and do geeky things like theater and the paper, then you go out and party and get high. You're funny as shit, but in a wicked way that I wouldn't expect. You're smokin' hot, but didn't show it off until..." I trailed off, not sure how I wanted to finish that statement.

"Until you almost fucked me on a towel in the woods? You're right. I was sick of being invisible. I wanted to have some fun while I was stuck in this town. Just because I don't show off everything like your friends in the skank brigade doesn't mean shit. And watch the insults. You may think that the paper and theater are 'geeky', but I respect the people who participate in those activities a whole lot more then a bunch of gorilla guys running into each other and hitting each other over a little ball."

Damn, bitter much? She still wasn't looking at me. She sighed and continued, finally turning her head towards me.

"I don't know what you're wanting from me, Eric. Frankly, it's been kind of creepy seeing you everywhere I go." My eyes widened and she smirked. "You think a gigantic blond tree of a boy like you can blend in? Just because I don't acknowledge you doesn't mean I don't see you. It's a small town without a lot of places to go. It's inevitable that there are going to be times that we're at the same place at the same time, but it's too often to be coincidence anymore."

I wasn't going to deny the obvious. "You're right. I may not have been consciously been seeking you out every time, but sometimes I have. I don't know." I continued running my fingers through my hair, a quirk of mine whenever I'm tense. "Look, I thought something pretty serious happened at that party and you didn't react like any other girl I've known."

She laughed. She. Fucking. Laughed. "Serious? Northman, if making out is 'serious', than your reputation is more hype than I thought. You almost closed the deal, but then you freaked out on me."

I know my jaw was on the ground.

**SPOV**

Why the hell was _he_ sitting next to my towel staring at me? Why was he suddenly _everywhere_? I had seen him and his douchy friends at the marina when Tara and I dropped off the Sea-doos and later that same day I saw him at the fair. He stood out. At his height, a good 3 inches over the "mortals" walking the fairground, he didn't have a chance of blending in. But then, it was opening night. It could have been coincidence. Lots of people were there.

But this was no chance. He was right next to my little secluded spot. He wished me happy birthday. Weird, but okay. He had overheard Tara at the marina. And how could I forget about the beach party? No wonder the beach was filling up. They were fun, but not what I was in the mood for.

I asked him what he was doing and he said that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about me. Huh. Not at all what I expected from Casanova Northman. Didn't he go through girls like Kleenex? And he had been thinking of _me_ for almost three months?

Then I got it. I confused him. I was a geek that he wanted. And I didn't want him back. It was hurting his ego. But something serious happened at that fucking party? _Nothing_ at that party was serious and I had to laugh. The look on his face when I told him that he hadn't closed the deal was priceless. Had he thought he had? Was that why he was suddenly _everywhere_ and expecting me to be all clingy over him?

"Sookie, what the hell?"

"I'm sorry," I sputtered, trying to control my laughter. "But seriously? Was that what the legions of Eric Northman groupies are hung up on? No offense, Romeo, but my socks were decidedly not rocked."

I really didn't mean to offend him, but by the look on his face, he obviously was. I was just so stunned that he thought that whole party make-out session was more than it was.

"Sookie, I freaked because you were a virgin. I wasn't trying. I didn't want to hurt you."

"And I remained a virgin. The deal was left unsealed. And I wasn't hurt. I wanted to have some fun and thought you did too. Why else would I have gone off with you. I knew what was going on. I wasn't _that_ stoned. I had full mental capacity. _You_ were the one with the problem," I said, trying to remain reasonable about his overblown reaction.

"Unsealed? I was _inside_ you. You can't argue that."

"And I won't. But you pulled out and had a hissy fit before you you were all the way in. Therefore, deal unsealed." I really couldn't believe we were debating my now lost virginity on the fucking beach. Why was it such a big deal for him?

He stalked off down the beach and talked to Pam and one of her friends. Pam looked up and towards me. I smiled at her. I got a little wave before she returned her attention to her brother. He made a call on his cell phone and appeared to be arguing with someone by the expression on his face. And Pam was walking toward me with a grim expression.

**EPOV**

Really? It was "nothing"? I was over this shit. I walked over to Pam and Miriam. "Pam, Sookie and I need to talk for awhile. What time does Mom get off today?"

Pam looked over and gave Sookie a wave. I had forgotten that they knew each other. "I don't know, I think around five. Why?"

"I'm going to call and see if she can pick you guys up. Let me call her and I'll let you know."

"Wait, how do _you_ know Sookie?"

"None of your business, brat," I said affectionately as I pulled my phone out of the bag. I called Mom's cell, since I never knew where she'd be at the hospital.

"Son," she answered, sounding exhausted, "how can I help you this beautiful afternoon."

"Mom, can you come by the beach when you get off and pick up Pam and Miriam?"

"Damnit, Eric. Why'd you take them if you weren't prepared to take them home?"

"Things came up. I need to stay here and talk to someone."

"Some girl. It's always some girl. No. I'm to tired to drive across the county to the damn lake and picked them up and drive back home. You obligated yourself as chauffeur when you so nicely volunteered to take them. Your drove them there, you can drive them home."

"Mom, please. I really need to talk to this girl."

"Final answer, Eric. N. O. I have to go. No arguing. See you guys at home."

And my own mother hung up on me. Damn it.

**SPOV**

Pam sat down next to me on her brother's towel and looked me straight in the eye. "Did you fuck my brother?"

"Seriously, Pam?"

"Yeah, seriously. I normally can't stand the series of skanks he brings around, but I thought you were different. Was I wrong?"

"No, no where near wrong. I can say with certainty and honesty that I have never fucked your brother." What? She said it first.

"Then will you do it and get him over this whole little puppy dog thing he has for you? Nothing gets Eric over a girl faster then getting on top of one. I want my brother back and seeing him over here being all sappy with you made me a little sick."

"Pam!"

"What? He's all kinds of twisted up over you and I want him back to normal."

"Why is he 'twisted up' over me?"

"Cuz he wants you and can't get you. Even I can see that."

Hmm. Interesting.

**A/N: And silly Eric thought that everything would be settled if they were able to talk. He didn't really factor in Pam, did he? This was so much flipping fun to write. Also on a side note, Atonement. Kiera Knightly and James MacAvoy. Library. **_**SIGH!**_** Please forgive any mistakes. I'm up way past my bedtime trying to finish up this chapter. Thanks again to everyone who has alerted and favorited this. Makes my heart warm. Reviews make me do a little happy dance every time. Please make me do lots of happy dances. I want to know what you guys think. I really really do. Thanks again for reading! MMMMWWWAAAHH!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: First, WTF was up with that season finale? I'm glad BAMF Eric is back, and strangely, getting along with King Beel, but seriously? If Sookie goes for the wolf, I'm gonna be mightily pissed next season. So, now that **_**that**_** train wreck is out of the way, I have the next chapter all ready for your reading pleasure. Lotta fun with this 'un also. Hope you like. Charlaine created them, I'm just torturing them for my own sadistic pleasure.**

**EPOV**

I put my phone back in my bag and saw Pam sitting on my towel next to Sookie. By the expression on Sookie's face, my sister was saying some shocking things. Oh, fuck!

I got over to them as fast as I could without looking like I was hurrying so I could shut Pam the fuck up. She liked teasing me a little too much. By the time I got there though, they were both laughing.

I told Pam that she and Miriam had fifteen minutes before I drove them home. I shot her the "get lost" look and she smirked then scampered back to her friend. I reclaimed the spot on my towel next to Sookie.

"This conversation isn't over. Not by a long shot. But I have to get the girls back home. Stay for the party tonight. I'll come back after I drop off Miriam and Pam."

She gave me a little smile. "I don't think I want to hang around, though," she said and I could feel my face fall. "I think I'll head home myself, wash off all the oil and sand and sweat and meet you back here later. Does that work?"

I think I just met Sookie the Tease. And yeah, I fucking liked her too. "That definitely works, although I have _no_ problem if you wanted to stay in the bikini."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "We'll see if you have the same opinion later. Why don't you go get Pam and I'll head home for dinner and a shower."

I stood and helped her to her feet. She repacked her bag and I watched her bend. She hefted the tote over her arm and smiled as I realigned my eyes with her face. "So we'll meet back here around seven?"

"That sounds good. I'll walk you to your car." Even I didn't know where the gallant, gentlemanly shit was coming from, but with Sookie, it felt right.

In the parking lot, she tossed her bag over the passenger door of a dark blue, convertible Volkswagen. Just like her prom dress, the car suited her perfectly. She dug the keys out of her pocket and hopped in the driver's side. "I'll see you in a little while, Eric," she said before starting the car and backing out.

If I wasn't mistaken, I had just made a date with Sookie Stackhouse.

**SPOV**

Holy shit, did I just agree to a fucking date with Eric Northman? Seriously? A _date_? One minute after his (little) sister was telling me to let him fuck me so he can get me out of his head? I sure as hell didn't think like that at thirteen, and this was with a seventeen-year old Jason as a brother. He was a rampant horndog in high school, but had, thankfully, sheltered me from the details.

I got home and said hi to my parents and brother. I went to my room and pulled out what I was going to change into. I easily grabbed my low-rise navy cargo capris; they looked good with everything. Then I pulled out the top I had been looking for a reason to wear. I had been surprised that Mom had agreed to it on our shopping binge. It was crocheted, with lining only over the breasts. It was essentially backless, tying once behind the neck and again across the center of the back. It was white, semi-transparent and looked _really_ good on me. It was just up in the air if Daddy or Jason would let me out of the house wearing it.

I jumped in the shower and rinsed away the residue of my day at the beach. The oil had left me baby soft. I wrapped my hair in a towel and threw on some sweats before heading down to dinner.

Mom handed me a plate of chicken, rice, and green beans and a glass of sweet tea. All favorites of mine. I sat down with my family and spent some time with them.

"So, I was thinking I would go to the beach party tonight," I said casually. Mom looked thrilled; my dad and brother, not so much.

"You never liked going to those things before. Why are you going now?" Jason asked, scowling.

"I just want to go and hang out and dance. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" I really didn't feel like telling him I would be on a date. His over-protectiveness had been kicked into high gear by Rasul.

"No, nothing wrong with that... depending on who you're going to be dancing with," Jason said and my mom, thankfully, came to the rescue.

"Jason, your sister can take care of herself. I remember you having the same level of freedom at her age, if not more. Now leave her alone. Midnight curfew."

I finished my meal, kissed my mom and, for good measure, my dad, on their cheeks and shot Jason a dirty look before heading back to my room to get dressed. I braided my hair over my shoulder and got the top tied. I slid on my tevas since they would be the easiest to take off with the sand. I tried to figure out how I was going to get out of the house without Daddy and Jason throwing a shit fit.

I pulled a pale blue button down shirt out of my closet and pulled it on over the miniscule top. Feeling securely covered, I headed back down to leave. Mom knowingly raised her eyebrows at what I was wearing, but stayed silent. Jason and Daddy, distracted by some sporting event on the TV, just murmured their good byes and reminded me of the curfew. I made it out the door and into my car unhindered.

I thought a lot about what I was planning on doing tonight. I knew somethings I definitely _wouldn't_ be doing, but that didn't help. I knew that it had taken Eric a lot of courage to tell me that he had been thinking about me, and I guess that impressed me. Maybe. I just couldn't get over that _I_ was the one getting all this attention. Was it just an ego thing for him? About not getting the girl when he _always_ had before? He knew how to play the game so much better than I did.

I pulled into the packed parking lot before he did; I would have seen that Camero otherwise. I found a space, took off the silly button-down, and made my way out to the beach. I took off my sandals and walked to the water's edge and let the light waves caused by boats wash over my feet. I looked out at the darkening skyline, wondering what the fuck I was doing here.

**EPOV**

I dropped off Miriam and took Pam home. I couldn't believe that I'd finally said everything that I had wanted to for months. And she didn't turn me down. I'd had it in my head that she would know that she was too good for me.

I showered and got dressed in nice-casual, shorts, a tank, and flip-flops. Mom still hadn't gotten home from the hospital, so I joined Pam in the kitchen. "What did you say to Sookie at the beach?"

She pretended to think. "Oh, I don't know... you know, I just can't remember."

"Give it up,Pam, or you're biking it for the rest of the summer and you'll have to ride the bus when school starts."

She hated the bus. With a passion. "Fine. You play dirty. I told her," and she paused to take a deep breath, "to let you fuck her and get over her so I would have my non-sappy brother back and that you were twisted up over her because you want her and can't get her." She said it so fast the words all blended together.

"You fucking said _what_?"

"Don't make me repeat it. It wasn't my finest moment."

"She agreed to a date with me _after_ you said that. Seriously, Pam, what the fuck? Selling me out like that, your own brother."

"You got a date out of it. You'll forgive me when you're back to normal. Hell, you'll probably thank me when she's out of your head."

"You're a sick and twisted individual and if you weren't my sister, I'd be scared of you. I'm heading back to the beach. Say hi and goodnight to Mom and Dad for me. I doubt I'll be back before they go to bed."

"I just hope you're normal tomorrow. Have fun."

I jumped in the car and thought about what Pam had said as I drove. Was the only reason I wanted Sookie because I couldn't get her as easily as I had every other girl? I didn't think so, because she was more than just a warm body that looked hot. To be honest, I had never cared to look beyond that before.

I pulled in and saw her car already there. I parked as near to her as I could and made my way to the beach. The sun had almost set and the sky was that pink-purple-orange mix that makes everything look all psychedelic. I saw the incredibly hot ass that I already liked looking at far too much on the sand by the water, away from the crowd. Her hair was pulled over one shoulder and her back was almost bare. This was not good. For me.

I walked up to her and gently placed my hand on her shoulder and she looked up at me. She gave me a small smile and looked out over the water again. She looked distracted, so I stayed silent and let her think. I took the time to look over her. The... you couldn't even really call it a shirt because there was too little fabric... whatever it was that she was wearing was amazing. There was this open weave over her stomach where her skin showed through and the cleavage caused by the way the top was tied was mouthwatering. And then there was all that bare skin on her back. She obviously couldn't be wearing a bra with it and the thought made my mind spin just a little. Any other girl I knew would have been flaunting the bounties that God had given her from day one, but Sookie was still a mystery.

The silence was starting to weigh on me, so I cleared my throat and spoke. "You look great tonight, Sookie." I had wanted to say amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, but "great" was the word that came out first.

The band hired for the night started playing and Sookie smiled. "Have you ever heard of these guys? Blind Vision? They're a cover band, playing known songs, but they mix it up a little, so they sound original." She told me to listen for a moment. I couldn't hear the lyrics, but the music had a punk edge to it. "That's their version of 'Three Little Birds' by Bob Marley. They kinda turned it on its ear there." She smiled and nodded her head to the music.

A girl who knew her music. Everything I learned about her made her appeal to me more and more. Why the fuck hadn't I ever noticed her before?

She grabbed my hand and worked our way through the crowd, with her swaying her hips as she moved. She was fucking hypnotic.

**SPOV**

I could feel him staring at me, even before he put his hand on my shoulder. I knew he was letting me have quiet to think, and I appreciated it. Date or no, I was bound and determined to have fun tonight, even if I was here with someone I wasn't sure I liked all that much. But I was willing to give him a shot.

I had seen the poster for the band playing the party tonight when I passed the stage and was thrilled. My friend Sam was the guitarist and did some of the vocals and I hadn't seen him in almost a year. Well, he was more Jason's friend, but when he left for college after their graduation, I had missed him hanging around. He was getting ready to start his senior year at college and, last I heard, still had no idea what he wanted to do after graduation besides play music. He had put together the band in high school with the idea of taking known songs, but putting his own spin on them. Knowing I liked a little bit of everything, he would listen to some of my suggestions of songs to twist up. Apparently, he'd mastered the concept over the past two or three years, as well as picked up some incredibly talented band mates. They mixed genres and had a sound all their own.

I grabbed Eric's hand and worked our way through the crowd to get to the stage. When Sam looked down and saw me, his jaw dropped, then gave me a big smile. He nodded toward the paper at his feet for me to take a look. The set list. I looked over the songs, returned the smile with a nod and turned back to Eric.

"They're playing some good songs tonight. I hope you like dancing."

He looked uncertain, but I pulled him to the edge of the crowd so we'd have a little more room. They started playing "Imagine", but sped up and reggae-fied. I grabbed his hands and put them on my hips as I moved in time to the music. I loved dancing and wished I had more opportunity to do it. I liked music with a beat, though, and couldn't get into the swirly, new-age stuff that Amelia brought to our camp-outs. It was great for being mellow, but spinning in a circle was not dancing.

I felt Eric start to relax when I put my hands on his arms. I smiled at him and got him to start moving with me. I was impressed. For a guy so tall, he moved surprisingly well once he got into it. We moved well together, even if he was taking advantage of the activity to touch me in ways I normally wouldn't allow. Little caresses over my back, my sides, my ass. They were quick and could have been explained off as accidental, so I didn't push it. It was just fun, besides, he'd already been there before, hadn't he?

The band took their first break and I was thirsty. Eric went to get us some drinks and I went to say hi to Sam for the first time in almost a year. He saw me and put down his guitar to give me a hug, lifting me off my feet as he did so. "Damn, Sook, you've grown up!"

"Time passes and that tends to happen. You guys sound great tonight." I sat down on the stage next to him. "Got any new songs for me to hear?"

"Uh-uh. We're not talking about the band right now. What the hell, Sookie? What's all this?" he asked, waving his hand around, indicating, I guess, the clothes.

"I don't know why people are so surprised. It's getting kind of offensive. I'll cut you some slack since you've been out of town. I was sick of being invisible. So I stopped."

"Was this change for anyone in particular?" he asked and bumped me with his shoulder and smirked.

"Yeah, smart ass. Me," I answered, bumping him right back.

"So who's the giant shooting me dirty looks?"

**EPOV**

Damn, she could dance. When she put my hands on her hips, it was almost more then I could take, her moving the way she did. Honestly, I could have sat on the sand and watched her and been just as happy. But she wanted me to be an active participant. Eventually, I was able to relax as much as possible with her moving the way she was and it was surprisingly fun. I don't really dance all that much. I know, shocker, right? But anything that allowed me to touch her body was a-okay in my book.

I liked the band, too. It was interesting to hear the ways they twisted up known songs so they were new again. Hearing a gritty bluesy version of Lady Gaga was surprising and fun. I was wondering how Sookie knew them and got to peruse the set list.

When the band finished their set, I offered to get drinks. I got a couple of bottles of water and returned to see Sookie sitting on the stage, all chummy with one of the band guys. What the hell was that? The guy gestured to me and she smiled and waved me over. I thrust the bottle of water at her and sipped my own, giving the guy my best back off glare. He just smirked at me and put his arm around Sookie.

She shrugged his arm off and smacked it. "Eric, this is Sam Merlotte. He's an old friend of the family and I haven't seen him in almost a year. He's being kind of an ass right now, but I'm used to it. Sam, this is Eric Northman, my date for tonight."

Sam held out his hand and, as petty as it was, I wasn't really sure if I wanted to shake it. He had known what he was doing when he put his arm around her and it pissed me off. After a moment of hesitation though, I decided to be the figurative as well as literal "bigger man" and shook his hand. I might have held a little more firmly than necessary, but I'm not admitting anything.

Sookie looked over the list for the second set. She took the Sharpie and crossed out a couple and wrote substitutions in their place. "One of the perks of knowing the band. If I want them to play a specific song, I just add it to the set list." She smiled at me and sipped her water. "You want to go dance some more?" she asked as the band took the stage again.

I was more than "up" for it. The band played several fast songs and decided to finish the night with a version of "Santa Monica" that could only be described as "power ballad". Sookie pressed her body up against mine and rested her hands on my shoulders. "This was a personal favorite of mine. Something about this song just says 'summer' to me."

I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly as we swayed to the music. I tilted her head up and got to kiss those amazing lips again. The memories of her that I had been torturing myself with for months had not done her justice. I slid my tongue into her mouth and moaned with how good she tasted. When the song ended though, she stepped back, breaking the kiss.

"This was nice, Eric, but don't get ahead of yourself." She smiled and raised an eyebrow. "The summer is only half over. Who knows what can happen by Labor Day?"

Fuck. Any plans I may have made to get her out of my mind were crushed by that. No chance of a repeat performance anytime soon either, I was assuming. But I was convinced: Sookie was worth the work and the waiting.

**A/N: A shout out to my friend Cory, even though he'll never read this. I took his band name and their style and hijacked it for my beach party. So, are we still liking? I'm still a little steamed over the finale, so forgive the short note. But seriously, **_**what the fucking hell was that**_**? Sorry. Please review. Reviews make me happy and make me write faster. No reviews make me sad and depressed and I just glare at my paper and curse at my pencil. So please keep me happy. I don't want Sookie and Eric to freeze, being left on the lake overnight. MMMWWWWAAAHH!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I am SO sorry that this took so long. I had 4 out of 5 work days getting stuck with mandatory overtime. Missy Dee and Storiesforevy helped me through it and I am so damn grateful! Just for them, I added some lemon juice to the sweet tea that is this story. I hope I do them proud. I do try to proofread, but I spent all week training people and having people yell at me for things I have no control over (no, you did not lose your HD programming because Obama has a thing against Georgia Tech and made the satellite fall out of the sky. I promise.). Please forgive the mistakes I do have control over, but miss. Charlaine still owns them, I'm just getting them in the shower for different reasons.**

**SPOV**

I drove home in a happy daze. I had, unexpectedly, had a lot of fun with Eric. When he pulled me in for that kiss, I could feel for myself how much he had enjoyed my dancing. I smirked to myself in the dark car. As much as it would have been... satisfying, I had _no_ intentions of going there with Eric Northman anytime in the foreseeable future. But, he was fun to hang out with. I could see doing more of that. And I just adored the precocious bluntness of Pam.

Stupid me had been preoccupied and forgot to put the button down back on before walking into the house. _Of course_, Jason would still be awake and waiting for me on the couch.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" he bellowed after I closed the door behind me, making me jump.

I turned my head sharply. "Shh. Are you trying to wake up Mom and Daddy? What is so wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"It's not what you're wearing. It's what you're not. Where the hell is the rest of your shirt?"

I looked down at my little crocheted top, confused. "This is all of it," I said.

He furrowed his brow, looking exceptionally grumpy. "You went out in public like that?"

"Damn, Jase, it covers more than my bathing suit. What exactly is your problem?"

"The problem? The problem is my little sister showing everything. People see you in that and they'll talk. Then people gonna get they're asses kicked because _no one_ talks about my baby sister that way and doesn't pay for it. Then I'd get arrested. You know I'm too pretty for jail, Sook."

I had to laugh at his convoluted reasoning. He succeeded in getting my defenses up with his yelling, then knocking them back down with his joking. As mad as he made me sometimes, I knew that he'd always be on my side. I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder. "If it means anything, I had a really good time. And Sam's back in town. His band was playing tonight."

"That jackass is here and didn't call me?" Jason asked, but with a smile.

"Yeah, he let me play with his set list."

"So did you _really_ have fun?" he asked, and I knew he actually cared.

"I did. I danced a lot and it was just... fun. But I think I'm gonna go to bed. Love ya, Jase," I said, standing and stretching. I leaned over and gave him a hug before heading to my room.

I changed into my little Tinkerbell pajamas before I laid down in my bed and thought back over the night. It had been fun and Eric was certainly part of that. But I hadn't learned anything to change my original opinion of him. I still thought he was too cocky for his own good.

Besides, I'd already done the boyfriend thing. As nice as it was, after a few weeks, it started to feel stifling. I'd never really had anyone put demands on my time before. While I had tolerated it for a short time, I had no intentions of jumping into another relationship anytime soon. I also had no plans to abandon the friends I had made when no one noticed me. I wasn't that kind of person.

**EPOV**

As I drove home, I dealt with the worst case of blue balls that I could ever remember. I wanted to curse Sookie for being a tease, but I couldn't even really blame her. Dancing wasn't leading anyone on, nor had she made me any promises. The fault for my painful situation was all on me and my reaction to her.

I couldn't help the way she fascinated me. I had never met anyone like her and she baffled me. I didn't want to think it was because I wanted her and had lost my chance to have her. I really didn't want to think I was that shallow, but deep down, I had to admit that that was at least part of it. But I also knew that she was better than that.

She may have been oblivious, but I noticed the looks that she had gotten throughout the night. And that fucker Sam, his eyes wandered to her more often than they should have as an "old family friend". And that shit with him putting his arm around her like he owned her... that wasn't cool.

I pulled into the driveway, parked my car, went into the house and directly to the shower. It had been a long time since I'd had to relieve the tension this way, and I was glad that my parents and sister were asleep.

I stripped down and stepped under the steamy water. I leaned against the cool tile and stroked myself, letting my imagination take over.

_ I watch her emerge from the warm, dark water of the lake, wearing nothing but a devilish smile. I remember all too well what her body looks like. I watch the water drops falling from her hair roll over her full breasts and flat stomach and they reflect the moonlight. She approaches me slowly, her amazing hips swaying with every step. She stops inches from me and I pull her close. She pulls my head down to hers and plants a scorching kiss on me. Her tongue slides effortlessly into my mouth as her hands pull at my shirt_ (why the hell I am wearing anything is beyond me and it's my fucking fantasy)_. Once we manage to get the damn thing off, she pressed her naked body against mine, cool against my hot skin. She kisses her way across my jaw to my neck and down to my chest. Her mouth latched onto one of my nipples with suction that's _almost_ painful. I moan when she lightly scrapes her teeth over the other one. Her tiny, talented hands work on unfastening my jeans (_again, what's with the clothes?)_. The hand unoccupied with the belt _(seriously, Brain?)_, button, and zipper is stroking me through the fabric. She pulls them down forcefully and starts working her way down the rest of my body with her mouth. Kissing, licking, sucking, nipping. She feels so fucking amazing._

_ She looks up and meets my bright blue eyes with her own stormy blue ones and smirks as she begins stroking me again, feeling more amazing than before since it's skin-on-skin. She sinks to her knees in front of me and lightly licks the tip of my cock. She continues to stroke up and down with an occasional twist of her hand. She runs her tongue over my length, never breaking eye contact. Slowly, almost too slowly, she takes me between her hot, soft lips. I hear my own moan and feel hers. She takes more and more of me in. Her hand and mouth work in tandem and it was all I can do to stay standing. When the hand not gripping my cock starts fondling my balls, I can't help the growl that rips out of my throat. But when she fucking started humming..._

I gave myself one firm, final jerk and exploded against the tile. I leaned back against the shower wall, relieved, but in no way relaxed. The dream was nice, but I wanted the reality.

**SPOV**

I woke up to heavenly smells of breakfast drifting into my room. I slid on my glasses and pulled a robe on over my pj's and walked into the kitchen. I headed straight for the coffee maker and poured myself a mug. I sat at the table, breathed in the aromatic steam, and took that first fortifying sip. I looked up and saw Sam's smiling face next to my brother's shit-eating smirk across the table and squeaked. I pulled my robe tighter. "Damn it, Jason. You couldn't warn me that we had company?"

Jason kept smirking, so Sam spoke up. "I just got into town a couple of hours before the party. You know I wouldn't miss out on catching up with my brother here." Yeah, Sam and Jason were still thick as thieves, but Sam wanted something if he was calling Jason "brother". "Besides, I need some new song ideas. You up for sharing your I-pod with me later?"

I pushed the glasses back up my nose and smiled. "I think I can pencil you in."

"No plans with the giant?"

I giggled. "Nope," I said, popping the "p". "I'm all yours."

"What giant?" Jason asked, no longer smirking.

"Some possessive douche named Eric that was, like, six and a half feet tall. Sook here had him completely captivated last night," Sam answered with a grin, then flinched at the "shut the fuck up" look I gave him.

"You were with Eric fucking Northman last night? What the hell, Sookie? I thought you had more sense than that!" Jason exclaimed, turning towards me looking furious.

I was surprised. I hadn't known that Jason would even know who Eric was, but I was forgetting what a small town it was. "We hung out at the beach party last night. We danced. It was nice. What's your problem?"

"I may not be in school anymore, but even I've heard of his reputation. My baby sister is _not_ going out with a guy like that!"

My eyebrows raised. "And who the hell do you think you are, telling me who I can and who I can't hang out with? You aren't Daddy. And you can't throw any stones, because your reputation was _exactly_ the same."

He had nothing to come back with, so he stalked out of the room. I finished my coffee and a quick plate of bacon and toast that was on the stove, then went to shower and get dressed. Sam and I had a date with eight gigs of Apple technology. I washed my hair and my body with my coconut shampoo and body wash, and it smelled so good. I pulled on an old pair of cutoffs and a tank top. I decided to leave the contacts out and let my eyes rest.

Sam met me on the porch swing with his acoustic guitar. I pulled my I-pod out of my pocket and plugged it into the speaker dock on the table by the swing and handed the set up to him. "Why don't you scan through and see if anything grabs you," I said. I already knew what was on there and I didn't know what he had added to his catalog of songs in the past year.

He clicked through songs while I braided my damp hair. "I think we could do something with this," he said, hit play and smiled. The intro of slot machines for "Waking Up in Vegas" came out of the speakers. "I think we could rock this out a little more than Katy does.

"I can see that. Okay, we'll mark that one. See anything else you like?" I asked, leaning against the back of the swing so I could see the tiny screen.

"Uh-huh," he said and he wasn't looking at the I-pod. Fuck. I didn't want to deal with this.

I played it off and forced his attention back to the little two square inch screen. Thankfully, he followed my lead and we scrolled through my random mix of music. Before long, we had about twenty songs that he was going to try to rework.

"Sook, I wasn't kidding earlier. Let me take you out tonight. If you aren't attached to the giant asshole, what's the problem?"

I had no idea. Sam was certainly attractive. He had curly strawberry blond hair and almost turquoise blue eyes. He had a wiry frame, and was probably about 5'11", just a little shorter than Jason. We had similar interests and tastes. Jason would approve. I think. Jason's approval seemed harder to get these days. But he wasn't my keeper.

"What were you thinking?" I asked, neither accepting nor rejecting his invitation.

"I was thinking take-out from my dad's restaurant. We could take it to the park and watch the old movies they show there. Sound good?"

Eh. I wasn't a big fan of old movies, since those were the only movies Gran ever let us watch as kids. But I _was_ a fan of Sam Sr.'s cooking. The man could make a cheeseburger like no one's business. My mouth watered a little bit at the thought.

"Why don't we get dinner and eat at the restaurant and see where the night goes from there? I haven't seen your dad in ages."

Sam looked less than thrilled. "It's a big hangout now that school's out. It tends to get loud and rowdy in the evenings."

I smiled. "I didn't say we had to stay. Just that it would be nice to eat inside. While we're enjoying the bug-free environment, we can decide what to do later on."

His face softened into acceptance. "Deal. I know Dad would love to see you. I"ll pick you up at seven."

**EPOV**

I dragged myself out of bed before Pam could become the ice water alarm clock again. When football practice started, my sleeping-in days would be over.

Mom and Dad had already left for work. By the sounds coming up the stairs, Pam was watching some MTV reality crap. I made my way to the kitchen and downed a huge glass of orange juice and popped a bagel in the toaster. While I waited, I thought about my date and when I would get to see Sookie again.

It had been a lot of fun. I wasn't used to letting loose like that and I certainly wasn't used to jerking off in the shower after a date. How had such an innocent kiss gotten me so worked up?

Pam walked in as soon as the toaster popped. She took one look at me, laughed, and said, "She didn't fuck you, did she?"

"For God's sake, Pam. Tone it down, will ya? Mom's gonna kill me when you slip and talk like that in front of her."

"Don't change the subject. I heard the shower last night when you got home. Were you a dirty birdie at the beach?"

"Pam, shut it. Now. I'm not talking about my date with you. Go watch TV. I want to eat my breakfast in peace."

She did her witch cackle thing as she left the room. I sincerely hoped that no one else could see through me as easily as my sister did. I suddenly couldn't wait for football to start simply for the distraction it provided.

As if on cue, my phone rang. I checked the ID before answering. Bill. I rolled my eyes as I answered the phone.

"Dude, what are we doing today?" he asked in a voice that was entirely too energetic given the fact that I'd been awake for less than fifteen minutes. I told him as much.

"Shut up, Eric. Get your lazy ass up. We gotta enjoy these last days. Starting Monday, Coach is gonna own us."

"So let me relax, you fucker. Why are you bugging me?" So I'm not a morning person. Sue me.

"Let's go back to the lake. Might see some people there, maybe a certain blond with a killer rack."

After my little shower dream last night, I had no idea how I could go back to the beach without thinking about it. "Nah. I went to the lake yesterday. I think I'm just going to hang around the house today. Maybe something tonight?"

"I know some of the gang was going to Merlotte's Diner later on. You want to meet us there?"

I liked that place. The guy that ran it was pretty cool considering he got his restaurant overrun by teenagers during the summer. And the burgers were incredible. "Sounds like a plan. What time?"

"We were thinking around seven. You in?"

"I'll be there," I told him and went back to my breakfast after hanging up the phone. A stress-free night sounded so damn good right now.

**A/N: Yeah, I'm gonna have to fuck with his head again. I promise Eric will be getting... something in the not-to-distant future, despite what Sookie thinks now. She doesn't know that I make her decisions. I know no **_**real**_** lemons, but come on, a teenage Viking, in the shower... I had to give him something. And yes, Bill is creepy and I fully intend to use that to my advantage. I also felt vindicated by the number of people calling me during the week to cancel their HBO because of the clusterfuck that was TB season finale. Only 1 single thing will have me going back next season and that is for my weekly dose of BAMF eye candy. And if you don't know who that is... what the fuck are you doing here? Yeah, I'm sleep deprived and goofy-giddy right now. Please show me my time at my desk was well spent with a review. I love you all because you can forgive me for babbling like this when I'm tired and giggling to myself. MMMMWWWWAAAAHHHH!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: This chapter was fun to work on, but I kept losing my train of thought, so apologies up front if this seems a little disjointed. I've read though and I don't **_**think**_** it does, but I could be wrong. More at the end. Hope you enjoy. Still unbeta-ed, so please for give all my mistakes. Usual disclaimer, blah blah blah.**

**SPOV**

After Sam left, I cornered Jason. "Can I talk to you?"

He still had his grumpy face on. "What is it, Sook?"

I pulled him onto the porch and sat down on the swing. "Jase, you know I love you and I appreciate all you do for me, right?"

His face contorted into a confused expression. "Sookie, why does it sound like you're going to break up with me?"

I had to laugh, because he was kinda right, but I just swatted his arm. "Shut up, I'm trying to talk to you seriously."

"Okay, yes, I know all that. What's going on?"

"Sam asked me out tonight. And I told him I would go. I need to know that you're okay with that."

He cocked his head to the side like the RCA dog. "Would it make a difference if I wasn't?

I considered it for a second. "Yeah, it kind of would. He's known me for years and he's _your_ friend. You don't have a problem with him being interested in me?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sook, I've seen the way he's looked at you for a couple of years now. I've known for awhile that he's had a thing for you. But all of a sudden, you're like this guy-magnet and _I_ don't know how to handle that. You're my little sister, for Christ's sake. I don't want guys looking at you like they do. I know what they're thinking when they do."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

He snorted. "Do I need to list it out for you? I thought you were the smart one. Sam, Rasul, Alcide. Yes, I've seen the way his eyes are all over you when he and Tray come over to pick you up. And apparently, I also have to worry about fucking Northman. That guy makes _me_ look like a monk. I don't like the idea of you hanging out with him."

I had to figuratively pick my jaw off the floor before I could respond. "Okay, Sam I just learned about. Rasul is over five thousand miles away and no longer in the picture. Alcide, well, we've had words and he's behaving himself now. But I think you might be overreacting about Eric. Look, I go to school with the guy. I know who he hangs out with and what his reputation is better than you do. But from the time I've spent with him so far, well, it seems like the reputation is more hype than truth. I'm not saying he hasn't been a 'hit it and quit it' kind of guy before, but he hasn't tried anything with me so far." Okay, so I blatantly lied there, but if I ever did want to see more of Eric, telling Jason about our convoluted... er... what ever the fuck was between us, was not going to help. Jason needed to be kept in the dark on that particular subject.

"But it doesn't change anything. I worry about you and I don't want you to be taken advantage of. I know you don't have a lot of experience with guys," and frowned when I rolled my eyes. "Well, I don't want to know any more than I do if I'm mistaken. Guys are dogs. We are. It's a fact. I can trust Sam with you up to a point because, off the stage, he's shy as hell and won't push you for anything. The same can't be said for anyone else I know, especially those guys I listed."

"Well, Sam's taking me to his dad's diner for supper and we'll decide what we're going to do later tonight while we eat. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see him as more than your friend, though. That fact alone kind of creeps me out."

He chuckled. "So all I need to do is make friends with every guy in town and you'll be too weirded out to go out with anyone. Consider it done."

I had to laugh with him. "Good luck with that, Jase. Sam tells me the whole high school hangs out at his dad's place during the summer. You can start building the bromances there."

I smiled at his snort and headed to my room. I wanted to read and relax for awhile before I started getting ready. I hadn't been exaggerating to Jason. The idea of _dating_ Sam was weird for me. Hanging out was one thing; the whole dating thing was another. I was going to have to lay down some ground rules on this pronto.

**EPOV**

Heaven. That was my room on a sweltering summer day. I had the a/c cranked, my stereo blaring, and a pillow over my head to block out any unwanted sunlight. I was looking forward to getting together with my friends tonight. It seemed like longer than it had actually been since I'd seen them. We were a shallow, fickle group, but they were what I had.

I only left my room when I had to take Pam to one of her friend's houses. She was having a 3-day sleepover and would be out of my hair until the day before football practice started. I reminded myself that I had to start conditioning my body again to be able to handle practice and kicked myself for becoming so lazy over the summer.

Middle of the day heat was not the ideal time to start a run, but since I would have to deal with it in the coming weeks, in full pads no less, I might as well get on the ball. I pulled on my running shorts and some shoes and took off down the road. We lived in a subdivision where all the roads circled around to the main road in and it was impossible to get lost. I'd measured it when I first started running and the full circuit of roads was almost exactly five miles. A perfect distance to get back into shape.

The feel of my feet on the pavement was mind clearing and I was able to not think of anything for about an hour. When I got back home, I walked up and down the street to cool down before I went in to shower. I could already feel the muscles that hadn't been used in several weeks come alive with an ache. I went inside and started a lukewarm shower. Hot water was best for sore muscles, but running in air the consistency and temperature of bath water made more hot water unappealing.

I stepped gingerly into the water and felt relief instantly as the room temperature water cooled the heat of my body down. I let my mind wander. I needed to get over this irrational _need_ that I had for Sookie. She had made it fairly obvious at the beach party that she didn't want me like _that_. But she was in me like an addiction. I wanted to see her, to get my fix. A night out with my crew was just what I needed.

I made myself a ham sandwich as an appetizer, since I knew that we'd be eating at the diner later. Mom pulled in and it was the first time I'd seen her in a few days. She was pulling extra hours because the hospital was cutting staff and the nurses that kept their jobs had to pick up the slack. She looked drawn and exhausted when she sank into her chair at the kitchen table.

I poured her a glass of tea and made her a sandwich like mine without being asked. My dad was a bank manager and mom didn't _have_ to work. But she already had her nursing degree when they met and she loved what she did. She wasn't going to give it up to be some housewife. It had led to some pretty big arguments when Pam and I were younger and he had wanted her to stay home with us. She countered that he had known she was going to work when they had married and decided to have kids and she wasn't giving it up. I admired her drive for not becoming some spoiled society wife and sticking with what she loved, even if it wore her to the bone. My dad was rarely home anymore and only joined us for "family" occasions, like Pam's theater debut and my games. Occasionally holidays made the cut, too.

I reminded her that Pam was at her friend Jessica's house until Sunday and she looked relieved at having the house to herself for a little while. I told her that I was going out tonight and didn't plan on being home until late.

"What's new about that, Eric?" she asked me in her tired voice.

"I was just letting you know."

"You act as though I don't know when you come home, be it at nine in the evening or four in the morning. The alarm system had time stamps, remember?"

"I remember. I was trying to be courteous and give you a heads up."

"I know. I appreciate it. I don't even know why I'm bringing it up. I guess I'm just spoiling for a fight and you're here. I'm sorry. Have fun tonight."

She took her sandwich and tea into her bedroom and closed the door. I just started after her, confused. Part of me wanted to stay home, make sure she was okay. But the other part of me thought that she wouldn't be good company and wouldn't want me around. So I got dressed and ready to go out.

I grabbed some black cargo shorts and a white v-neck t-shirt. I pulled on my black boots to complete the look. I knew what looked good on me and this did it.

I hopped in the Camaro and plugged in my I-pod. I cranked Green Day on my way to the diner. I was bound and determined that I was going to have a good fucking time tonight.

**SPOV**

I had started wishing I hadn't agreed to this date with Sam. It had all kinds of potential to make things awkward between us and I didn't want that, or to cause any rift with his friendship with Jason. I took my hair down from the braid I had pulled it back into earlier and finger combed through the waves. I looked through my closet and decided on a light cotton sundress. It was a black and gray abstract print and I just loved how it looked. I put in my contacts, added some light makeup and slid on some black heeled sandals. Just because I didn't want this thing with Sam to go anywhere didn't mean that I had to look frumpy.

Sam pulled up at seven on the dot in his blue Jeep and came in to say hi to my parents before walking me out and helping me up. Why the hell do I keep picking sundresses when I'm going to have difficulty entering and exiting vehicles modestly? I guess it just doesn't factor into my dressing decisions. Maybe it should.

We pulled into the parking lot, I saw the cars filling the lot. Sam wasn't exaggerating the popularity of his dad's diner. He hopped out and opened the door for me and helped me down. He grasped my hand as we crossed the lot. His hand was hot and sweaty and it took everything I had not to pull away and wipe my hand off.

He looked around when we entered and grabbed a booth by the far wall and a couple of menus. Sam went back in the kitchen to grab his dad to come out and say hi. When Senior (as he was called since Sam was little and refused to answer to "Junior") came out, he gave me a huge bear hug and asked how I was and how the family was doing. He told us that our meals were on the house and to order whatever we wanted.

Since Sam and I had hung out earlier, our usual wells of conversation were pretty dry. Besides music, movies, and Jason, we didn't have all that much in common. He was in college, I was in high school. There were four significant years separating us.

I heard hooting and hollering from the pool tables when the door opened and I turned my head to look. I wished I hadn't. I locked eyes on Eric. His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed seeing who I was in the booth with. What the fuck was that about? He turned and headed into the pool room and didn't look back.

A few minutes later, our burgers and fries were delivered. Remembering that, oh yeah, I needed a job, I went back to the order window and asked Senior if he could use any help for the remainder of the summer, then after school and on weekends. He smiled and said he could since one of his waitresses was getting ready to leave for college and the job was mine if I wanted it. I said that I definitely did and we shook on it. I would start training the following week. The joys of having connections.

I rejoined Sam at the table and we ate in an uncomfortable silence. We just didn't really have anything at all to talk about, and I was pleased to see that he looked as uncomfortable as I felt. We finished our meals and I excused myself outside for a smoke.

**EPOV**

When I pulled into the parking lot, I saw all the usual cars there. I smiled and hopped out of the car. I head the whole crew start a riot when I entered and smirked. Some things never change. I took a quick glance around as the door swung closed behind me. Fuck. Me. _She_ was fucking there. I tilted my head to see who was sitting with her and it was that fucker Sam. Shit. She had introduced him as Sam Merlotte, hadn't she? How had I missed that connection? Maybe it was the massive amount of bare skin that had been on display. "Old family friend" my ass. I refused to waste anymore of my time and went to greet my friends.

Felicia pulled me over to the side and sitting at a table was an incredibly hot redhead that I had never seen before. She was introduced to me as Sophie, her cousin that was visiting for a few weeks. I felt all the old charm fall into place. It was too easy. I didn't even want her, but it was the game I had to play.

We chatted for a bit and I knew that if I wanted, I could snap my fingers and she's be in the back seat of my car faster than I could track. She was _that_ obvious and the desperation was, frankly, a turn off. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar blond head out the door alone.

Aww, was the date not going well? I excused myself and said I was heading out for some fresh air. I wanted to know what the hell was going on with her.

I stepped out and smelled the smoke. She was leaning against the outside of the diner, cigarette in hand, looking at nothing. "You mind if I bum one of those?" I asked her, hoping I wasn't sneaking up on her.

"Whatever," she replied, and tossed the pack in my direction with her lighter.

I lit my own and walked over her to hand the pack back to her. "I have to quit come Monday."

"And I care because...?" she mumbled.

"I always stop when football practice starts. And for some reason, I always start again when basketball season ends. It's a filthy habit."

"You say that like I don't realize it. What do you want?"

"What happened to the friendly girl that danced with me last night?"

"She just went on an incredibly awkward date that possibly ended a friendship. She's not in the best mood about that. She also saw you hitting on a sleazy redhead in clothes about two sizes too small and she doesn't really know why, but she's kind of pissed off about that too."

I wanted to smile, but I was able to hold it back. "Are you jealous, Sookie?"

She rolled her eyes and flicked her cigarette. "No, Eric, I'm not _jealous_. But it does reinforce my perception of you. Why try for something of quality when cheap and easy falls into your lap. It's like... it takes time and patience to make a good cake. You can always go to the store and buy one. It might be decorated a little better and it doesn't take as much work as baking your own, but it tastes like shit. The homemade one might not look as good, but it tastes a whole lot better. As much as I wanted think better of you, Northman, you go for cheap and easy."

Fuck. I know she hadn't meant the words the way they sounded, but all I could think about was how _she_ tasted. As soon as she put out the cigarette, I was in front of her, my arms to either side of her, pinning her against the building. "What if I said I didn't want cheap and easy? What if I said I was playing the part that was expected of me?" I ducked in and kissed her neck. "What if I said that, for you, I would learn patience and invest the time? I want you. I want you more than I've wanted anyone and I don't know fucking why." I leaned down and kissed the other side of her neck.

"Everyone I know and care about tells me that I need to stay away from you. That you're just out to get me because you want me and, unlike Jessica Rabbit in there, I'm not swooning at your slightest touch or sneaky little smirk. It's the chase. You're own sister told me as much. As soon as I let you in, you've won and it's done," she said shrugging her shoulders. "I'm not playing hard to get here, Eric. Games are stupid and pointless. If all you want is the chase, find someone else to play with."

I don't know what part of that disturbed me more. The fact that she thought I just wanted to chase her or the fact that people were actually warning her about me. I didn't know anyone she hung out with and she certainly wasn't close to any of my friends. "What do you think, Sookie? Forget what you've been told by anyone else. What do _you_ think?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know you well enough to have an opinion. In the, what, two years that we've been at the same school, you just noticed me three months ago. And that was because I was stoned and you happened to be the nearest person that I could bum cigarettes off of. Different circumstances, and we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Or maybe we would. I don't know. And in that three months, we've had maybe two conversations that lasted more than three minutes? How am I supposed to base an opinion on _that_? I like hanging out with you. You're fun to be around. But that doesn't tell me anything about who you are."

I cupped the back of her head and leaned in to kiss her, trying to put every ounce of desire that I had for her into it. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she was kissing me back. I wrapped my other arm around her back and pulled her close. She responded for a few moments, but then pushed me back.

"Yes, Eric, I already know that you're an incredible kisser. You've had a lot of practice, from what I've heard," she said with a small smile. "But I _am_ here with someone else and just because it's an awkward and uncomfortable date, it doesn't mean I want him to walk out here to see me kissing someone else. I'm willing to get to know you, but it's not something that's going to happen overnight, Cowboy. So I'll go in and leave with Sam. You'll go in and try to fight off the Red Menace... I hope. But you have to put in some effort into it. It can't be all chance meetings. And you can't get pissy if I happen to make plans with someone else."

"So what are we?" I had to ask. God, I never thought I'd be _that_ guy. I'm NOT _that_ guy.

She smiled and leaned in on her tiptoes to give me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll tell you as soon as I know."

**A/N: Alrighty, so there's some interaction here and Eric is making some progress. He makes some good arguments, eh? Thanks again to Missy Dee and Storiesforevy for being my sounding board for my ideas. They rock. So much. I am warning you guys up front I have some more mandatory overtime set for this week, so no telling when I'll have the time and/or energy to update in the immediate future. Also, I am going to try something... teasers for reviews. It won't be instantaneous, but it will happen. Wondering if I can hit 200 reviews with this chapter. Thanks again to everyone who has added this to their favorites and alerts. You guys rock my socks. But reviews really float my boat.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Well, mandatory overtime sucks big, giant donkey balls, but I managed to get this chapter done sooner than I expected. I sent a lot of you out there teasers, but I promise you that that was NOTHING compared to what I have going on in here. From the get-go, I wanted to present Bill as a creeper and now we get to see what an ass he really is. Thanks (again) to Missy Dee and Storiesforevy for encouraging me and making me laugh when I would get frustrated. I only own the mistakes. Charlaine owns everything else.**

**SPOV**

Sam pulled into my driveway and cut the engine. He looked over to me with a sad smile. "I guess this was pretty much a disaster, huh?"

I gave him my own smile, more relieved than sad. "Pretty much. We're good friends, but I don't think it can be anymore than that. At least, not right now."

"I think you're great, Sook, but I agree." He reached over and put his arm around me. "We're still okay, right?"

I leaned into his side like I always had, relaxed now that nothing had to change. "Always okay. I should go in though. We'll hang out again before you leave for school, right?"

He nodded and kissed the top of my head. The brotherly affection was comforting. I hopped out of the Jeep and waved as he backed out and pulled away.

I wasn't ready to go in yet. I waited until Sam's tail lights had disappeared from view, ran in the house to leave a note for whoever, dug my keys out of my purse, and drove to Tara's.

She and I had been friends for almost ten years and I knew her almost as well and I knew myself. I was too antsy to sit at home and stew, so I drove to my second home.

It was still fairly early as far as the Thorntons were concerned. Tara's mom answered the door with a smile and a hug. "She's in her room. You staying the night?"

"I don't think so, Dee. I just need to talk."

"Well, you're welcome to stay if you get too tired to drive. Have a good night, sweetie."

I ran up the stairs to Tara's room and scared the hell out of her by barging into her room without knocking. I flopped onto her bed without an invitation and asked, "Am I a complete idiot?"

Tara glared at me, her hand to her chest and breathing heavy. "When I get my breath back and my heartbeat regulated, you're going to have to start from the beginning.

"I'm sorry for barging in. I'm just confused as fuck right now. Well, I'm not, but I am." I pulled a pillow over my face. "This summer sucks!"

She laughed and pulled the pillow away from me. "Talk now."

I told her about my day at the beach and my conversation with Eric. How it had transitioned to a date at the party that same night. That Sam had come over earlier and had asked me out. Her eyes sparkled a little bit at that. She had a great thing with JB, but had always had a little crush on Sam since we were, like, twelve.. I told her that the date was a disaster and about my run-in with Eric. The talk, the ground rules, that hot-as-hell-how-the-fuck-am-I-still-standing kiss. I thought I had played it off pretty well, but damn, no seventeen-year old should be able to kiss like that.

Tara listened silently and didn't interrupt once, for which I was grateful. When I ended my monologue, she spoke up. "So you told him that he can't get pissy if you make plans or go out with anyone else? Are there any other boys sniffing around that I don't know about?"

"Well, no. It just seemed like something that needed to be said."

"So does it go both ways? Are you going to get bitchy if you see him out with another girl?" I opened my mouth to answer and she poked me in the shoulder. "Be honest."

"Fine. It would completely piss me off and my inner super-bitch would probably come out to play." She smirked at me. "But the fucked up thing is I don't even know _why_ it would piss me off. With the exception on that first fucked up night in the woods, he's never tried anything with me. He's kissed me. Twice. And he danced with me at the beach."

"Honey, have you ever seen you dance?" I shook my head no and she smirked again. "You look like sex, sugar. No girl should be able to move her body the way you do while being vertical." I know my jaw dropped and felt my face start burning. "Why do you think guys just stop and stare when you dance?"

"I never thought about it," I mumbled and reached for the pillow to cover my face again. "Why does he do this to me? I don't even know if I like him." I pulled the pillow away. "And Jason _really_ doesn't like the idea of Eric and I even just hanging out."

"How does Jason know him? And the fact that you two even know each other, much less have been spending time together. I know you aren't stupid enough to tell him."

"Jason doesn't know him personally, but he's heard of him. And you can guess what he's heard." She nodded. "I have Sam's big mouth tho thank for telling him about the beach party. He though he was giving me a compliment. Said I had Eric 'captivated'."

"Honey, you're smarter than this. What do _you_ want to do?"

I giggled. "Honestly, I want to climb that boy like a monkey. I want to do so many things that I really shouldn't want to do. I want to drive back to Merlotte's and just jump him in the parking lot."

"So why don't you?"

My eyes widened. "I can't do that!"

She folded her arms over her chest and looked at me sternly. "Why not?"

"What if that's all he wants?"

"So? That's all _you_ want. Do you want him showing up with flowers and candy? Do you want to be his girlfriend, and go on dates, and have dinners with his family?"

I wrinkled my nose because, really, I _didn't_ want that. At all. She laughed at my expression. "So what's with the worry? If it's a fling, it's a fling."

I smiled. "I knew there was a reason I loved you," I said and gave her a big hug. She leaned back and stared at me. "What?"

"I'm waiting for you to go tearing down to your car like your ass was on fire."

I leaned against her. "I considered it. Nothing says it has to be tonight."

**EPOV**

I drove home in a haze. When I pulled up to the house, I couldn't recall the drive there. Was I really going to do this? Try to commit to one person? I don't think I'd had a "girlfriend" since I was thirteen and the high point of the relationship was making out in dark corners during school dances.

But I knew Sookie would be worth it. She was feisty and not clingy or desperate for attention like every other girl I knew. And holy shit could she kiss! I couldn't believe how fucking awesome her little body felt pressed against mine.

She had gone back in first after our talk outside. I waited a few minutes before following her in. She was standing at the order window talking to Senior, laughing. That asshole Sam was standing next to her, his hand on her back. Only knowing that she considered the date a disaster kept me from growling. And what the fuck was that? I'm not possessive.

I turned my attention back to the pool tables and had to keep from rolling my eyes. It was so fucking stereotypical. It was like a bad movie from the nineties. All the girls seemed posed, leaning against the wall or on the tables. Even the guys, huddled by the cue sticks passing a flask back and forth, seemed scripted. I played a game of nine-ball against Clancy and wiped the floor with him. After that, I decided to leave. I hated to admit it, but my friends bored me. Nothing ever changed.

I wanted to change for Sookie. I meant it when I told her that, for her, I would learn patience and invest the time to get to know her like she wants. I was completely fucking honest when I'd said that I wanted her more than I'd ever wanted anyone. Maybe it was that shallow part of me that just wants what it can't have. I was _so_ glad that she'd said she wasn't playing games.

I had one full weekend, two more whole days, before football practice started. I wanted to take Sookie on another date, preferably one where she would dance again. It was just wrong (or right, depending on how you looked) how she was able to move her body. It just made me think of all the fun we could have together... when she decided she was ready.

I laid in my bed when I got inside and tried to think of something she and I could do. I just wanted to be alone with her. With the exception of that very first night, we had yet to be completely alone. I needed that time with her. It was just the matter of convincing her.

**SPOV**

Fucking Hadley. Only _she_ would think it was acceptable to jump on my bed on a Saturday fucking morning. At seven fucking thirty. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" she chirped in an annoyingly perky voice.

"Run. Now. Or you will be in extreme pain," I moaned from under my comforter.

"Aunt Michelle told me to get you up. We're all having breakfast at Gran's," she said as she bounced off my bed.

We usually had breakfast or dinner at Gran's maybe two times a month and it was always scheduled. A spur-of-the-moment meal was unusual, but not unheard of. I grumbled and groaned as I trudged around. Cutoffs and a t-shirt were going to have to do. Ponytail, glasses, teeth brushed and I was as ready as I was going to get. Hadley pulled my slacker ass down to the truck where Sophie and Andre were waiting.

It only took about five minutes to get from my house to Gran's. As soon as Andre put the truck in park, I was out and making a beeline for the coffee maker. Jason, Mom, and Daddy were already in the kitchen and Uncle Victor and Aunt Sandy pulled up behind Andre's truck a few minutes after we parked.

I still needed my first caffeine infusion before I was fit to deal with other people. I took the supersize mug Gran kept just for me and went to sit on the front porch. As much as I hated getting up early, I did love the haze and the smell of dew on freshly mowed grass. And rocking in Gran's old wooden chair was just plain relaxing.

A pair of figures appeared, walking through the early morning mist. Aw, fuck. Bill Compton and his dad, Phillip, walked right up to the porch. Phil was a bit of a snob, but Gran had known him since he was a baby and he adored her. Bill had a bedhead style going that looked like he was trying to look like he wasn't trying. It _really _didn't look good on him.

Phil gave a courtesy knock before walking through the front door. Bill didn't follow. He lingered, looking down at me with a creepy-ass leer. "Can I help you with something?" I sighed.

"I can think of several things you can help me with," he said, adjusting himself as he spoke. One- Eww. Two- it was too fucking early to deal with this bullshit.

"You're just gonna have to help yourself with those things. Or, if I can have a preference, I can call Jason and Andre out to help. I know that they would just _love_ to know that you wanted me to help you with that 'little' problem," I said, nodding my head towards his crotch and wiggling my pinky.

"You're such a stuck-up little bitch now, aren't you," he grumbled. "You think you're too good for me? You weren't too good for Northman last night, were you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I know I paled.

"I walked outside last night and saw you pinned against the wall with Northman all over you. If you're easy enough for him, you should give me a try."

I stood up in front of him, fury making my face burn red. "You're calling _me_ easy? How the hell do you figure that? Because I was kissing someone who wasn't you? Maybe that's because I find you completely repulsive and I don't really like vomiting."

He sneered at me. "How can you say you don't like what you've never tried?" he growled and pushed me against the front door. My head banged on the window and I winced. I felt Bill's cold, slimy lips press against mine while I pushed against his shoulders, trying to get him off me. He took the opportunity to grope my breasts so hard that I cried out in pain against the mouth that was still assaulting mine. Then, all of a sudden, it just stopped. I opened my eyes.

Everyone that had been outside was now either on the porch with me or in the front yard. Jason and Andre had a hold of Bill's arms and they dragged him off the porch. Uncle Victor looked like he was holding Daddy back. Phil stood off to the side, away from the family, looking both furious and embarrassed. I heard him apologize to Gran before he rescued his son from my cousin (dangerous) and my brother (lethal, by the look on his face).

When they were gone, Daddy and Jason came up onto the porch to make sure I was okay. Surprisingly, except for the bump on my head and the bruises that I was sure were blossoming under my bra, I _was_ okay. Mad enough to spit fucking nails, but overall, fine. Gran was crying and Mom and Aunt Sandy were trying to console her. Sophie and Hadley were just gaping, confused as to what exactly had just happened.

We all made out way back into the house, and Gran went to splash some cold water on her face. "He was always such a nice boy," she muttered as she finished getting breakfast together.

Once we all sat and said grace, Gran told us that she was going on a trip through Mississippi and Alabama with her Descendants of the Glorious Dead club and would be gone for a week. She had asked the Comptons over to ask them to keep an eye on her house, as her nearest neighbors. She wanted breakfast with us since she was leaving that afternoon and missing a meal with her family was something that Gran just could not abide.

Honestly, it was nice to get together with family every so often and catch up. I didn't share friends or interests with Hadley or Sophie, so we didn't hang out a whole lot. I almost never saw Andre anymore. I also liked talking with my aunt and uncle. I knew for a fact that everyone else around me enjoyed these meals too and it would take more than a minor assault b y Bill to shut up the Stackhouses.

Once we had all eaten our fill of eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, toast, and whatever else Gran had gotten up to make at the crack of dawn, we all went our separate ways. Since I would be starting a new job the following week, I wanted to spend as much time as possible at the lake. I wanted to be toasty brown before I had to start spending my days inside.

I changed and drove to the beach. I had my fully packed tote bag with me and, being a Saturday, the beach was already busy and space was limited. I managed to find an unoccupied patch of sand. I was getting ready to put my headphones on when I heard my phone ring. I pulled it out and I didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?" I asked, not knowing who could be calling me and fully expecting to be told that someone had dialed a wrong number.

"Sookie? Is that you?" I knew that voice immediately and was impressed.

"Eric! How on earth did you get my number?" Maybe not the most polite question right out of the gate, but I was exceptionally curious. No one who had my number was be on Eric's contact list.

"Umm... I got Pam to call some of her drama friends until she found one who had your number. Is that too stalker-y?" he asked uncertainly.

"No, I would call that resourceful. How are you?" Now that I had made my decision as to what I wanted to do and where I wanted this thing with Eric to go (with Tara's help) , I felt much more at ease speaking with him.

"I was calling to see if I could take you out tonight," he said, kind of mumbly. Hmm... did _I_ do that to him? I was a little bit stupefied by that.

"Well, I'm free, if that's what you're asking. What did you have in mind?"

"I wanted to surprise you. You willing to accept a date on blind faith?" he asked, sounding ridiculously hopeful.

"You know what, I think I might just take you up on that."

**A/N: At this point, I want to remind you of the song that this story is inspired by. If you don't remember, go back to chapter 1 and read them. They. Are. IMPORTANT. So, is Tara a good friend or what? I pulled that from some long-ago conversations I had with my friends in high school. And Bill, can I just say... Eww. He will get his comeuppance. I promise. Is this the first story where Andre isn't creepy? Anywho, the same offer from the last chapter stands, even though I didn't reach my goal of 200 reviews. If you review and have PMs enabled, you will get a teaser, as soon as I write one. Still on mandatory overtime for the foreseeable future *grumble* , so I ask for patience. Thanks again for all the alerts, favorites, and reviews!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hopefully today was my last day of overtime. God willing. Missy Dee and Storiesforevy, yet again, thanks guys. Yep, that would be a whiff of citrus you get from this chapter. Like I've said in a lot of reviews, I'm trying to keep this angst-free, but where there's no drama, there's no story. I had to put a little in, so Bill could be dealt with. And there's the little problem of Eric and Sookie being in different places. Charlaine owns them, I'm just giving them some tension relief.**

**EPOV**

"Pam! Come in here for a sec, and bring your phone," I called from my room down to the living room where she was watching TV. I had racked my brain and could only think of one way to get Sookie's phone number.

I heard her stomping up the stairs, telling me she didn't like the way I had summoned her. She got to the door, posed with a hand on her hip and shot me a very dirty look. "Yes, Master?" she drawled sarcastically.

I waved her in and she flopped down on my bed. "How do you feel about doing me a tiny favor, favorite sister of mine?"

She looked at me warily (as she probably should). "How tiny and what's in it for me?"

"Very tiny and, for fear of being repetitive, what's in it for you is not having to ride the bus next year. Consider that every time I ask you for something. Especially think about how the bus smells on a rainy day..." I trailed off when she turned slightly green. She nodded quickly and I couldn't hold back my smirk.

"I need you to contact some of your friends from the play and find someone who has Sookie's number." And damn if her smirk wasn't bigger than mine had been.

"What is it about her? I get that she's hot and all, but you can have any hot girl you want." I shrugged and her eyes widened. "You want her because you _can't_ have her. I was right! You are such a shit!"

"Pam. Bus on a rainy day. Your comments and thoughts aren't necessary. Call."

She rolled her eyes at me, then began scrolling through her contacts. She walked down the hall to her room, her fingers flying as she texted. About ten minutes later, she returned looking triumphant, holding up her phone.

"I got it! I really want to torture you by not handing it over."

"Pam..," I warned, stalking towards her, "you really don't want to test me on this. Give me the fucking number."

She rolled her eyes (I was getting fucking sick of that) and forwarded the number to my phone. She leaned against my wall while I checked that the info was there. "You can leave now," I told her.

"Aw, come on. I do all the work and I can't hear the call? How is that fair?" she whined.

"Go!" I never yell at Pam, but she was pushing my buttons. She jumped, shot me a hurt look, and left, slamming my door behind her.

I called Sookie and could tell immediately she was at the lake by the sounds in the background. After talking a little, she agreed to a surprise date. I was relieved, because I didn't have the slightest idea of what we were going to do. She didn't want me to pick her up. We decided instead to meet at Merlotte's since she could leave her car there safely. I didn't really get that, but she mumbled something about her brother.

Fuck! There had to be something we could do around here. Nothing where she would be subjected to the assholes I called friends or, preferably, no one else at all. I was _aching_ to be alone with her.

I flopped back on my bed and thought. God, why the fuck was this so hard? I knew every inch of this town. There had to be something we could do. I had never really had to put forth any kind of effort before. It was fucking stressful.

If worse came to worse, we could always go back to the beach. When there wasn't a party there, it was pretty much deserted after sundown. I was actually excited, the more I thought about it. About a fucking date. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I would hopefully need my energy for later.

**SPOV**

I was really excited about my date. Eric and I talked for awhile while I baked myself in the early afternoon sun. I told him that I preferred he not pick me up; we could meet at Merlotte's. I would okay it with Senior before we left to... do what ever it was that we were going to do. I didn't want him or me to have to deal with Jason. I loved my brother, but when he went into overprotective mode, he became an asshole.

After he hung up, I slid on my headphones and closed my eyes. I was trying really hard not to feel hypocritical with all the talk I had given him about needing to know me better , but it was hard. I had every intention of jumping him. Rasul had been gone for a month and a half, and I knew now what I was missing.

Once the sun had dipped closer to the horizon and shadows grew longer, I could tell by the cooler air that it was time to go home. I packed up my tote and left the lake. I got home and the house was empty. I found a note on the kitchen counter where I usually left my keys. Mom and Daddy had gone out to eat with my aunt and uncle. Jason had gone to help his buddy Hoyt move. I put the note back on the counter and made myself a sandwich before I went to get ready.

I showered and shaved, wanting to look and feel good. The peach scented lotion I smoothed on just made me feel all summer-y. While looking through my closet, I realized I had no idea what I was looking for since I didn't know what we'd be doing. I figured it wouldn't be anything fancy or formal, so I went for pretty and comfortable. I pulled out a knee-length sundress in a blue and white bandana pattern. It also went with my Tevas. I decided not to bother with makeup since I was all bronze and pink from the sun and just left my hair down.

Knowing I was safe for a couple of hours, I snuck into Jason's room and snooped through his dresser. From his sock drawer, I removed two condoms, because a girl has to be prepared and I wasn't willing to depend on Eric. Especially since I had been so holier-than-thou earlier.

I felt proud and liberated after my little treasure hunt had paid off and I checked the time. I put the condoms in my purse and headed to Merlotte's. I left Mom and Daddy a note saying that I was out with "a friend" and would be home by curfew. When I got there a little early, I went in to finalize my training schedule with Senior and make sure it was okay that I left my car there for a few hours. He said that it was fine and that I would be working the slower lunch shift for a few weeks until I got the hang of the job.

I went back out to my car and sat on the hood, having a smoke. I didn't bother to try to hide my smile when I saw the cherry red Camero pull in.

**EPOV**

Holy hell, she looked fucking amazing sitting on her car waiting for me. The little dress she wore emphasized some of her best features. Her eyes looked bluer, her hair lighter, her skin glowed and those killer legs looked just awesome. When she hopped off her hood, I could see how the dress clung to her magnificent ass. She hopped into the passenger seat without hesitation. "So where are we going?" she asked with a smile.

I was tongue-tied. I didn't have a single thought besides how good she smelled. "Eric? Are you okay?" she asked, her smile starting to fade.

Shit! "Yeah, sorry. You distracted me. You want some ice cream?"

"I'm never one to turn that down. Let's go!"

Okay, idea one seemed like a success. I drove to the little ice cream shop across the street from the school. She ordered some milkshake thing. I was boring and just went with a chocolate cone. We left the shop and walked down the street. She reached over and took my free hand in hers.

"So was the ice cream the only thing we were going to do tonight?" she asked looking up at me.

"Not exactly. Just a sweet start to the night. What was that thing you ordered?"

"I like fruit with ice cream. Since they use fresh fruit in their milkshakes, I got them to combine peach and strawberry with vanilla ice cream. You want to try it?"

I sipped from her straw and that concoction she was drinking tasted only slightly sweeter than she smelled. I had to admit that it was delicious. She looked up at me again, only this time with puppy dog eyes. "Don't I get to try yours?"

She was going to fucking kill me. I held out my cone for her to taste. She didn't play it up like so many other girls would have. She just gave it a quick lick, smiled, and went back to her shake.

We walked and talked, finishing out treats as we did. We made it back to the shop and hopped back in the car.

"I thought you and I could use a little privacy. To talk some more. If you aren't sick of it since you were there earlier, you want to go back to the beach?" I asked.

She smiled. "Yes to the lake, but no to the beach. I have a better idea, if you're adaptable.

I was open to ideas. I followed her directions and pulled up next to a tiny cabin with a flimsy dock right on the water. "This is my daddy's fishing cabin. He doesn't come out here a whole lot anymore, but Jason does. No one will be here tonight though.

It was a beautiful area. There were no marina lights like at the beach and no boat traffic in the little cove. After looking around a bit, I popped the trunk of the Camero with a small smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I came prepared," I said as I pulled out a huge blanket.

Her smile widened. "I'm glad. Anything in the cabin probably hasn't been washed since the spring."

She helped me spread out the blanket in the grass and we laid down next to each other. She looked up at the sky. "When I was little, I was in Girl Scouts and were would come out here to go camping. We would look up at the stars and make up our own constellations."

I couldn't take my eyes off her. "Uh huh."

"Eric, are you even listening?" she asked with a laugh in her voice.

"Uh huh."

"Then kiss me like you did last night."

_That_ I definitely heard. I rolled on my side and pulled her to me. I cupped the back of her head and pressed my lips to hers. I felt her smile before she responded. She ran her tongue over my lower lip with a little nibble and allowed my tongue into her mouth. She still tasted like her milkshake and something that was just uniquely "Sookie". It was fucking heaven.

I moved my mouth to her neck and heard her breathing speed up. I would have to remember that. She pulled up up so that we were sitting. She ran her hands up my sides, pulling my t-shirt up with them. I only removed my lips from her skin for the second it took to get the damn thing over my head. As soon as it was off, I dove back to her mouth.

I wanted to touch her so badly. Her small hands ran over my torso, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I had never had that kind of reaction to just a touch before. Ever. I was willing myself not to get too excited because I knew that nothing much more was going to happen tonight, but _that_ was a losing fucking battle. My jeans were uncomfortably tight when Sookie slid into my lap. She sucked on my neck for a moment before putting her mouth right at my ear. "I want you, Eric," she whispered breathlessly.

**SPOV**

I couldn't say anything else. He was on my mouth as soon as I looked in his eyes and he knew I was serious. I couldn't help returning his kisses with enthusiasm. I held his head to mine, my fingers threaded into his hair. His arm tentatively reached around my back and started to lower the zipper of my dress. I didn't stop him; he was topless, it was only fair. I turned around to give him better access. He swept my hair over one shoulder and audibly moaned as more of my skin was revealed. I felt his lips press against the nape of my neck and slowly work their way down my spine. It gave me chills. The _very_ good kind. Once the zipper was all the way down, he slid the shoestring straps down my arms until I was bare from the waist up.

"Turn around, Sookie," he whispered huskily. I did and he moaned again. "The way I remembered you didn't do you justice. You are so incredibly beautiful." His mouth attacked my neck again and slowly moved down leaving a wet trail over my skin. His lips closed around one nipple, but he pulled back and looked at me, confused. "Sookie, what happened?"

Shit! The fucking bruises from Bill's fingers grabbing at me. I hadn't thought of that. Fuck, And they were friends, weren't they? I pulled his head back down. "Nothing you need to worry about. Where were we?" I said and brushed the bulge in his jeans.

"Fuck," he growled and resumed sucking on my nipple. He pinched and rolled the other, mimicking the motions of his mouth. His mouth slowly started moving lower down my my stomach. He stopped at my waist where the top of my dress was bunched up. "Do you want me to keep going?"

"Don't you dare stop," I said and lifted my hips to pull the dress entirely off. I pushed him back so I was straddling his legs and let my mouth do some exploring of its own. His nipples were as hard as mine and I eagerly gave his the same treatment. I used one hand on one while my other hand unfastened his jeans. I was consumed with a wanting I hadn't ever experienced.

I reached my hand down his waist band and stroked his hard length and got a growl instead of a moan. We flipped so I was on my back and he ran his hand over the tiny satin thong I had worn. He slowly slid it down my legs and I was completely naked before him. Only one other person has seen me like this and it was more than exciting to see the look in his eyes as he looked me over. I pulled down on his jeans, but he shook his head. "Not yet. I want to watch you come first."

He slowly licked me from my entrance to my clit and my hips bucked up. I couldn't hold back the moans he caused me to make as he worked me with his tongue. His eyes never left mine until he slid two fingers into me and my eyes rolled back in my head. His fingers pumped into me over and over until I was writhing on the edge. He sucked hard on my clit at the same time as he curled his fingers to hit that spot inside me. I came hard on his fingers, crying his name.

He gently licked me clean while I came down from my high. He started to pull his jeans down and I unfogged enough to shake my head. "Purse," I gasped. Fortunately, he understood and got my bag from the car and handed it to me. I grabbed one of the condoms and handed it to him. "I didn't know if you'd be prepared."

"Thank God one of us was thinking," he whispered and latched onto my mouth again. We worked together to get the damn jeans off. He rolled the condom on and rubbed himself up and down my slit. "I've want you like this for so long, Sookie," he whispered softly as he slowly slid into me. Oh God! I had forgotten how big he was. It didn't hurt, it just took a moment to adjust. He pushed into me carefully until he was all the way in. We both moaned at the sensation. He leaned down and kissed me so hard that I gasped at the intensity. I raised my hips and wrapped my legs around his waist. He rocked his hips and we only stopped kissing when we needed oxygen. We were both moaning.

"I'm close. Fuck, I'm close. Don't stop," I gasped, knowing it wouldn't take much to push me over the edge. He reached down and rubbed my clit with his thumb, making me cry out and arch my back and I saw stars. He grunted and thrust into me a few more times before he had his own moment. He fell to my side and we both caught our breath silently.

I gave him a tissue to get rid of the condom, which he flushed in the cabin. I worked on getting myself dressed when he came back out. I was zipping my dress back up when he spoke up. "What were those marks on you, Sookie?"

Damn it. I was hoping he'd forgotten. "It's really nothing you need to worry about."

"They looked like bruises." He lightly pressed his hand to my breast and blinked. "Fingerprints? Who the hell did that?"

He was getting mad. Even in the dark, I could see the crests of his cheeks turning red. "Really, you should just drop it."

"That's just not fucking happening. Tell me."

Fine. He wanted to know that bad, I'd tell him. "Your buddy Bill fucking Compton decided that if I was easy enough for you, that he's just push himself on me. He made the really stupid decision to do it at my grandmother's house and nearly got his ass kicked by my cousin and brother. Happy now?"

Yeah, his whole face was red now. "He did what? He _said_ what? He's a dead man."

"Why does it matter, Eric? Let him think what he wants. It's not like he ever had a chance with me. I don't and never have wanted him."

"He can't disrespect you like that. He put his hands on you..."

"Seriously, drop it. It's over. Besides, why do you care? He's been your friend for years, I'm just some girl. I don't mind. I'm fine with 'some girl' status."

"'Some girl'? What the fuck, Sook?"

**EPOV**

I was going to kick Bill's ass. That was a given. I had never told him about anything that had been going on with me and Sookie. And what was she talking about?

"Eric, I'm not into the whole game playing thing. I've told you that. I don't want any kind of steady relationship thing right now. And honestly, I don't think you do either. I was wrong to try to get you to be in that place, especially when that's not where I want to be. Why can't this just be fun?"

What the hell? I didn't just want her every now and then. Tonight had only confirmed it for me. It hadn't been just the sex, although that was _awesome_. We had talked and laughed and had actual fucking conversations. And she's telling me _now_ that she just wants to have fun? Seriously, what the fucking hell?

**A/N: Well, we all know that an angry Eric is no fun to be around. And before you jump on me, I'm going to explain. I am including the pertinent lyrics below:**

_All my life I've been good,  
>But now<br>I'm thinking What The Hell  
><em>_**All I want is to mess around**__  
>And I don't really care about<br>If you love me  
>If you hate me<br>You can save me  
>Baby, baby<em>

**Hopefully that helps clear up where Sookie's head is at. And as confused as he is by Sookie, he's **_**pissed**_** at Bill. As always, there's more right below the surface. Will try my best to get another chapter before my weekend is over, but no guarantees. Thank you for all the favorites, alerts, and reviews. I will do teasers for reviews again. As soon as I have a teaser written, I'll respond to reviews. Love you all and thanks again!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: This was fun and tough to write at the same time. Cuz, really, Sookie is sixteen, has had one relationship in her life, and honestly doesn't really know what she wants. Her conflict was making the writing harder. But I did want to get this out before I go back to work tomorrow. Umm... episode 11 of this season's True Blood inspired one particular line and if you watch the show, you'll recognize it. Other than that, Charlaine owns the characters. I just own the mistakes. Please be kind. I try to catch them, but I usually don't until I reread the chapter on my phone. Here goes...**

**EPOV**

The drive back to Merlotte's so Sookie could get her car was silent and awkward. I wasn't used to being on the other side of this situation and I found that I didn't like it one fucking bit. I wanted Sookie, and I wanted all of her. After finally getting her the way I had dreamed about for months, I couldn't believe that the reality was even better than the fantasy. But she just wanted a fucking fling.

We had sat at the lake, and before we left, she tried to explain herself. Everything her mother had taught was her that she had to have a steady guy in her life. It was encouraged. But she didn't want someone putting demands on her time and wanted to be able to do what she wanted while she had the choice. She didn't want a relationship. She wanted to be able to come and go, do what she wanted, with who she wanted, when the whim struck her.

I could sure as hell understand that. That was how I lived. But I wanted to be with her. I wanted to have that claim on her time. I wanted her to want to be with me. She wasn't just "some girl" to me.

I made her tell me more about Bill's assault on her. Because that's what it was. I couldn't believe the fucker had the nerve to attack her at her grandmother's house in front of his dad and her family. He was lucky that Jason and Andre hadn't fucked him up, but the same couldn't be said for me. He was going to regret putting his hands on what was mine.

I couldn't understand what was wrong with me. I _don't_ fall. I _don't_ commit. I was already falling, I wanted to commit and I wanted it all with Sookie.

I dropped her off at her car, but grabbed her hand before she could get out. "I'm not going to pressure you. But I don't want you to cut me off either. Give me a chance."

"Everyone has a chance. Until they screw it up. I won't cut you off, Eric. But don't push me to give more than I'm willing to."

She turned her head and kissed me softly before sliding out to get in her own car. I closed my eyes dropped my head back against the headrest. I was so fucked. And I hadn't even seen it coming. I watched her Cabrio pull away and looked around the parking lot.

What a fucking surprise. The big blue pickup that I had been hoping to see was sitting right fucking there. I cut my engine and stormed the pool room.

"Compton, get your ass over here now!" I roared when I flung the door open. Every head in the room turned, but I was only looking for one person.

His head turned as he was lining up his shot. He smirked when he saw me and set his cue stick down. "Northman. I thought you had plans for tonight. You done already? Is your stamina not what is used to be?"

I grabbed him by his designer polo and dragged him outside. "What the fuck were you thinking, putting your hands on Sookie?"

He flung my hand off him and got in my face. "She insulted me. I had to show her a little of what she was missing. Don't tell me she went crying to you."

"She didn't want to tell me. I made her describe what a fucking asshole you are. What makes you think taking what you want from a girl is okay? Is that what gets you off? Force?"

"No, but she's been an uppity little bitch ever since... fuck, why the hell am I even having to justify myself to you? You started noticing her the same time I did. What is she to you than just another piece of ass? She's not so special."

No. I wasn't going to let him talk about her like that, at least not to me. Before I even realized I had done it, my hand was stinging and he was cupping his hands to his nose. I could see the blood pouring through his fingers.

"Dude, what the fuck? You just broke my fucking nose! Over Sookie Stackhouse?"

For good measure, I also sank my fist into his stomach. He doubled over gasping. I tilted his head up and met his watery eyes. "You're going to stay the fuck away from her. If you so much as sneeze in her general direction, I will fuck you up so hard you won't know which way is up. Do we have an understanding?" I asked as he started coughing on the blood going down his throat.

He nodded before I let go of him and he sank to his ass in the parking lot. I stalked back to my car, not feeling all that much better. It didn't change the fact that he had hurt her. And it wouldn't change the fact that, as badly as I wanted her, she didn't want me the same way.

**SPOV**

I drove away from Merlotte's confused as hell. I drove past Tara's house on my way home and saw the bonfire and Jeep in her field. Perfect. I got home, changed into something more comfortable in a matter of minutes, left a note saying that I was spending the night with Tara, and left again.

I pulled up next to Tray's Jeep and met Tara on the blanket by the fire. JB and the twins were scouting the woods for more firewood and Amelia and Holly were smoking in one of the tents. I put my head on Tara's shoulder. "I was right last night. This summer sucks."

"What's the matter, sugar?"

"Why the hell can't a fling ever just be a fling? Why do fucking _feelings_ have to get involved?"

Tara's eyes widened. "I thought you didn't want anything more from him than a good time."

"I don't." I shook my head and looked up at her. "But he's not going along with the program on that."

She chuckled. "So he wants you for more than a hook-up? We're still talking about Eric, right? Mr. Hit it and Quit it?"

"The one and fucking same. This was supposed to be the easy part."

"Honey, nothing is easy when sex gets involved. Was it at least good?"

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Oh yeah. Very. Very very. I'm not saying the boy doesn't know what to do. But damn. I don't want another boyfriend. I don't even want a friends with benefits thing. I wanted something that could be a once in a blue moon kinda thing, and he wants more."

"Sookie, look at me." I turned my head and looked up at her. "I've known you for almost ten years now. You used to be this little wallflower, hiding in Jason's clothes and never really getting close to anyone. You've gained confidence and pride in yourself in a few short months. You don't really know how to handle the fact that you are completely hot shit right now."

"If being hot shit means getting molested by a fucked up neighbor, then I'll go back into hiding."

"What are you talking about now?"

I proceeded to tell her about getting kissed and groped by Bill at Gran's house that morning. I told her about the bruises he left behind and Eric's reaction to seeing them, up close and personal. I think the part she was most surprised about was the fact that Jason and Andre had let him walk away.

"Well, they didn't really have a choice. His dad was right there and I can guarantee that if they had done more than pull him off me, we would be looking for bail money. Phil loves Gran, but he's not overly fond of the rest of us and he wouldn't have hesitated to press charges against them."

"What about you? You could have him charged with assault."

"Tara, I'm over it. It was just a skeevy boy trying to get his kicks on making someone feel weaker than he is."

By the time we finished our conversation, the boys had returned with armloads of wood and stoked the fire back up. JB claimed Tara from me and Tray and Alcide sat behind me on the blanket.

"When did you get here, sweet thing," Alcide whispered once he sat down.

"Speaking of skeevy boys," I mumbled under my breath and turned. "Alcide, stop it. I mean it. I don't like your hugs that last a little too long or your sleazy terms of endearment. I already told you it makes me uncomfortable." I turned to Tray. "How do you feel about helping a girl mellow out a little?"

He gave me a grin and pulled a joint out of his pocket. I shot Alcide a "fuck off" look and took off walking through the field. I sat on my ass in the damp grass and looked up at the stars as I toked. I did like Eric. Away from his cliquey little friends, he was easy-going, funny, smart. And if I let myself, I could easily fall for him. If.

I felt my pocket buzz and pulled the phone out and saw that I had a new text message from an unknown number. Curiosity got the better of me and I hit the button to open it.

_So is my brother going to be a whiny bitch tomorrow?_

Gotta love that Pam.

**EPOV**

I woke up the next morning feeling like shit. My hand hurt and I was dealing with the sting of rejection. I had never experienced it and it fucking sucked. I dragged my ass to the kitchen to make a late breakfast and Pam was sitting at the table smirking.

"So how was the date, brother dearest?"

"It's too early for this shit, Pam."

"That good, huh? She still not putting out for you?"

"For God's sake, Pamela! Get your own life so you can get the hell out of mine," I grumbled while searching for juice in the fridge. Finding it, I drained it from the carton and tossed it in the trash. "Why are you so interested in my sex life? Most sisters don't even want to think of their brothers having sex. You seem to encourage it."

"Because it's interesting. How you can be such a callous shit to girls for years and all of a sudden, a gash in a sundress walks by and you're putty."

"Jesus Christ, what is it with you and that mouth? I definitely didn't teach you that."

"Late night cable. When you're too young to drive, it's a teenager's best friend."

"Well, cool it. It creeps me out to hear my _little_ sister talking that way.

"What is it about Sookie? I get that she's pretty. Blond hair, blue eyes, and big tits will always get noticed. But that's no reason for you to turn into a total pus... wimp," she said, at least attempting to watch her language.

I grabbed a pack of cinnamon pop-tarts and headed back to my room with the rest of another carton of juice. I didn't want to be in the same room as Pam when she was in one of her many devilish moods. I plopped back down on my bed and hit the remote for my stereo. My phone went off and I hoped it would be Sookie. My hopes were dashed by the fucking caller ID.

"What's up, Clance?" I asked, not disguising my disappointment.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Bill had to go to the hospital last night to get his broken nose set. He told his dad he fell in the parking lot, but I saw your tall ass drag him out of Merlotte's. He's your best friend. What the fuck, Northman?"

I sighed. It was inevitable that I would hear about this. "He had it coming. He's lucky he wasn't arrested. Just drop it, Clancy. That was between him and me."

"That's fucked up, dude. Don't forget who your friends are."

Yeah, shallow, narcissistic friends that don't give a shit about you unless you fit into their little mold. "Mmhmm," I muttered, just trying to get him off the phone.

It didn't end either. It wasn't my place to give the specific reason, and in the end, I just put the damn thing on silent and let the calls go to voice mail.

I wasn't really a mopey, emo guys, so to get rid of the lingering pissy feelings, I pulled on my running shoes and shorts and hit the pavement. I ran the neighborhood twice and came home two hours later soaked and exhausted. It felt fucking fantastic. I showered, ate, and went back to my room. Football practice started the next day and we had to be on the field no later than seven thirty. I checked my phone, purely out of habit. After deleting the thirteen voice mails that I had no desire to hear and scrolling through the pissed off texts, I was finally able to smile.

_Come talk to me tonight._

**SPOV**

I woke up in the tent with Amelia and Tray. That was fucking weird. I didn't remember a whole lot after walking away from the campfire, but I must have gotten back somehow. I got in my car and drove home after tapping Tara to let her know I was leaving. I got home and managed to catch the tail end of breakfast. I made myself a cup of coffee and grabbed some bacon and toast from the leftovers sitting on the stove. I went out to the porch and stretched out on the swing while I ate.

Jason came out and sat with me when he realized I was home. "Did you have a good time last night?"

I shrugged. "Yes and no."

He grinned. "Would you care to expand on those details, Miss Articulate?"

"Jase, what would you say to the girls that wanted more from you, but you didn't want to cut them off completely?"

His eyes narrowed. "Now I need to know what's going on."

"Look, don't go all hyper-protective on me here. I need some honest-to-God advice and I'm asking you. Do you really need all the details when you're going to be too pissed off if I give them to you to give me the help I'm humbly asking for?"

He considered for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I don't want to know. And can I just say it creeps me out a bit that you're asking for this kind of advice from me."

"Duly noted. Now help me!"

"Well, I would tell them how much fun hanging out with them was, and how I really hoped we could do it again. But added that life is going to be busy and there's no way that I could set up anything on a permanent basis. If they wanted more than that, I would avoid them until they moved on."

"So either lie or hide? Great options you're giving me there, brother."

"Aren't you starting a new job tomorrow? How would it be a lie?"

"Cuz I'm only going to be working days, while he's occupied with football..," I trailed off and wanted to smack myself in the head.

"So he's on the team?" He thought about that for a moment, then started shaking his head. "No. No fucking way. Uh-uh, Sook. You are not fucking _involved_ with Northman."

"Damn it, Jason. You don't even know the guy."

"And if I'm figuring out what I think you're telling me, you know him better than you should." He was getting close to yelling and I could tell he was on the furious end of pissed off.

"That is none of your business, Jason Stackhouse. This, right here, is why I didn't want to tell you anything."

"Sookie, you know what he's like..."

Now I was getting mad. "Yeah, I do. Because I've actually spent time with him. All you know are rumors and gossip. What do you think is more reliable?"

"I don't want you getting used. And I just know that's what's gonna end up happening."

"Jase, do you think I'm stupid? Really, do you think I can be suckered by some pretty blue eyes and a hot set of abs?" He frowned deeper and I shook my head. "We were at the lake. I saw him shirtless. Deal with it. I'm a lot smarter than you give me credit for. I know what I'm doing and I know what I want. Just trust me and don't hassle me about this, okay?"

He kissed the top of my head. "I can trust you, Sook. But not him."

He left to go help Hoyt finish moving and I laid out in my yard, not wanting to make the drive to the lake. I made myself some lunch and tried to take a nap. I started a new job tomorrow. That was something to be excited about. I already had the black shorts that Senior said I would need and he would provide the t-shirt that the servers wore. But my mind wouldn't slow down and stop thinking for a damn minute. And I didn't like at all that all I could think about was that amazing night under the stars at Daddy's cabin. I wanted to see Eric again. I sent a text and put the ball in his court.

**A/N: I love the difference between Eric and Pam's relationship with each other compared with Jason and Sookie's. Upon rereading this (multiple times), I like it more than I thought. Missy Dee saved my hide last night when I got all paranoid and stuck, so thank you hon. Read Mailboy. Read it. She rocks. And, for once, I have teasers set to go out already for each and every review. Love you guys! MMMWWWAAAAHHH!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Alrighty, there is not a whole lot of story here. Lotta citrus, though. Glad so many of you liked the last chapter. I don't really have a whole lot to say at this point. Missy Dee is my savior for reading and reassuring me. Charlaine owns the characters, I just make them dirty teenagers. See you at the bottom.**

**EPOV**

I kept staring at the phone, expecting the letters to rearrange themselves. "_Come talk to me tonight._" How could five little words make me so giddy and excited? I looked at the clock. It was still early. I texted her back.

E:_You hungry?_

A few minutes later, my phone chirped.

S: _I could eat. In or out?_

She was asking. Nothing to lose in being honest.

E: _I would prefer in. Out involves other people and I want you to myself._

There was a long delay after I hit send. I was trying to think of a way to redeem myself so I could still spend time with her when my phone chirped again.

S:_I'd kill for a decent cheeseburger._

E: _You want Merlotte's?_

S: _Anywhere as long as it's edible. And Eric?_

E: _Yes?_

S: _I have to check on my gran's house since she's out of town. Meet me there._

E: _Directions?_

S:_ You don't need 'em. She lives next door to Bill._

Well shit. That would be tricky. Just then, I got another chirp.

S:_ If you park around back, no one will see your car. I'd prefer no questions from anyone, if ya don't mind._

E: _What time?_

S: _Twenty minutes, max. BTW, were you a boy scout?_

Okay, weird and random question, but whatever.

E: _For like a week when I was a kid. Why?_

S: _Remember the motto. CU in a bit._

I had to laugh. Be prepared. I called Merlotte's and ordered a couple of cheeseburger dinners to go. I went to my closet and pulled condoms out of a pair of boots I didn't wear anymore. I told Pam I was leaving as I was walking out the door.

I stopped by the diner and picked up our meals. I headed down the familiar country roads, but passed Bill's house and turned down the next driveway. I pulled behind the old farmhouse and saw Sookie in cutoffs and a tank top. She had a garden hose in hand, watering a flourishing vegetable garden. I realized that this was _her_. The real her. No pretensions, no attitude, no need for defenses. She was herself here and don't think it was possible for me to want her more.

**SPOV**

I was nervous. I had put the ball in his court by sending the text. And I waited. And waited. I know I walked around for over two hours waiting for a response. I played that fucked up game with myself. He's asleep. His battery's dead. He's out and forgot his phone. That was the rational side of my brain. After the first hour passed, the paranoid side of my brain started getting louder. He decided I'm not worth the trouble. He's out hooking up with someone else. He decided "bros before hos" and sided with Bill.

Daddy got sick of my pacing and asked me to check on Gran's house. Her houseplants and gardens needed watering. He also suggested I check her refrigerator to make sure that anything that would spoil by the time she got home was cleaned out. Like Gran wouldn't have already done that.

I changed into my comfy "work outside" clothes and my phone vibrated. It was a little scary how the Hallelujah chorus started in my head. I told the damn choir to shut up and answered the text.

When he said that he wanted me to myself, I paused. _This_ wasn't what I wanted. I wanted fun. I wanted detachment. I wanted freedom. But damn it, I wanted _him_ too.

Okay, Stackhouse, no need to panic here. He just wants privacy. He wants to be alone with you. Just move on. If it's a big deal, he'll bring it up again.

We made plans to meet at Gran's. I hopped in my car and got there in the usual five minutes. When I checked, Gran, sure enough, had already cleaned out her fridge. I filled her green watering can and doused the house plants. After that was done, I hooked up her hose and started on the flower beds in the front yard. I dragged the hose around the back to get the vegetables. Eric pulled up and parked next to my car. He sat and stared for a long time before getting out.

He lifted two Styrofoam boxes. "I come bearing burgers."

"Thank God! I'm starving." I ran to turn off the hose and get sodas from the kitchen while he set up the food at the picnic table. I handed a can to Eric and sat across from him. I really liked that he got the fries to go with the burger. (Senior seasoned them with Old Bay. Yum!) I asked how much I owed for the food.

"Nothing. This was my treat. A few bucks for some quality food is a small price to pay for good company."

God, that was kinda cheesy, but hell. Was he always so charming or was this a recent development? Where was the cocky ass that was easy to use for a good time? This wasn't a positive change, in my opinion. But damn it, he was getting to be irresistible.

We ate our food and made small talk. He told me about his upcoming practice schedule and I told him more about my new job. It was nice to talk to someone my own age about the mundane happenings in our lives.

But as soon as the food was gone, a different kind of hunger lingered in his eyes and that alone made my breath catch. I stood and took the containers to the trash can. I moved slowly, trying to decide exactly what the fuck I wanted. My body made the decision for me. I looked at him from the back door and held out my hand, inviting him in with me.

Once he took my hand, he moved almost too fast to be tracked. One second, we were walking across the kitchen, the next, I was pinned against the pantry door being kissed like there was no tomorrow. My hands clutched at his shoulders for balance, then wrapped around him to pull him closer.

I clawed at the hem of his t-shirt urgently. It was only matched by his intensity... everywhere. His hands were fisted in my hair and sliding under my shirt. His mouth was on mine, on my neck, over my collar bone, down my chest.

He moved away from me just long enough to remove his shirt while I shed mine. He stared me down wearing only shorts and a bright purple and blue bra and I swear to God, he _growled_.

**EPOV**

I wanted her. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to taste her. When she held out her hand to lead me inside, something came over me and I couldn't stand the space between us. I started to pull away after I had pinned her, feeling like I was treating her the same way Bill had, but she pulled me closer to her. Damn if I wasn't going to let her have her way.

I couldn't decide what I wanted to do or touch first, so I know I was like the fucking Tasmanian Devil. I wanted more of it all. Just more of _her_. I pulled back to pull my shirt off and was thrilled to see her doing the same. Under the modest tank top she had the tiniest little satin bra that it was amazing that it served it's purpose. The blue and purple looked so amazing on her that I felt, rather than heard, myself growl as I pulled her back to me. The skin on skin contact was better. I didn't want to have another reason for my mouth to leave her skin for any reason. I reached behind her and released the clasp on the tiny scraps of satin the were separating her from me and held her tighter.

I kissed my way down her neck, leaving a wet trail on her skin until I reached her breasts. Her nipples were hard and tight and I couldn't help flicking them with my tongue and smiled hearing her tiny gasps. I wrapped my mouth around them and sucked, alternating amounts of suction based on her reaction. Very slowly, tentatively, I slid my hands into the waist band of her shorts. I gave me no resistance. I cupped that amazing ass while my mouth moved back and forth over her breasts.

"Guest room," she gasped and pulled me in the direction of the room. As soon as she was there, she pulled me down to her and started kissing me with abandon. Mimicking my earlier actions, she stood on her toes and kissed her way down my neck, pausing to nibble and suck on my nipples. The hand that wasn't rolling and pinching the one that wasn't in her mouth stroked me through my shorts. As she kissed lower, her hands pulled down the loose basketball shorts until they puddled at my feet. I kicked them away and her hand wrapped around me, making me moan.

"I want to taste you, Eric," she said from her knees and I felt her tongue flick against my head. She licked the length of my cock and my eyes rolled back in my head. That was nothing compared to the feel of her sweet, hot lips wrapping around me and taking me, inch by inch, into that amazing mouth. Her tongue swirled around me and it was all I could do not to shoot down her throat. I wrapped my hands in her hair, not to force her, but to keep myself anchored. What she couldn't take in was being stroked by one hand while the other grabbed my ass. Her tongue, her hand, the suction, everything combined and I didn't have time to warn her when I came. She swallowed everything and fucking licked her lips as she released me.

I pulled her up and sat her on the bed. I never broke eye contact with her as I unfastened her shorts and slid them down her legs. Teeny little bikini panties that matched the bra on the kitchen floor followed. I couldn't get over how perfect her body was. Toned, but curvy in all the right places. I couldn't keep my fucking hands off her.

I started at her ankles and slowly slid my hands and lips up her smooth legs. Her breath hitched when I got to her center. I could feel the heat rolling off her. I had never wanted just the taste of someone before I had met her, but that was all I wanted at this moment. I lightly ran a finger through her lips and soft blonde curls and was amazed at how wet she was. I followed my finger with my tongue. I licked and sucked her until she was writhing and making little breathy cries that only made me harder. I wanted her to have the spectacular release that I'd had and focused myself on that goal.. My fingers joined in the quest and began thrusting into her as I flattened at tongue and pressed down on her clit. She had been watching me until that point. Her head fell back and she grabbed the sheets with her fists. Her hips raised and lowered on their own until I had to use my other hand to hold her still.

Her breath was coming faster and I could feel that she was close. I turned the hand that was working her palm up and brushed her g-spot lightly. She let out a choked moan. I did it over and over until I thought she would murder me for keeping her hanging _right there_. I pressed down on my next pass and sucked hard on her clit.

She stiffened, her back arched, her amazing body shimmering with a sheen of sweat and my new name was God. I lazily licked her as she came back down and she stroked my head softly. I moved up her body and braced myself above her on my forearms. I leaned down and kissed her, knowing she could taste herself on my lips. She didn't mind.

"Please tell me you got what I was trying tell you in the text," she gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

I leaned over the bed and pulled a condom from the pocket of my shorts. "Be prepared, right?"

She smiled and gave me a little breathy laugh before kissing me again. I tore the little foil square open and slid it on before positioning myself at her entrance. She slid out from under me and pushed on me until I was on my back. She straddled me and positioned herself. "I want to try this."

She slid slowly onto me, both of us reveling in the feeling of me sinking into her. She was so tight. It was, unfortunately, something I didn't get to experience often. I was spoiled now. Once I was all the way inside her, she leaned forward and braced herself with her hands on my chest. Her hips started rolling slowly and feeling was fucking incredible. I couldn't help but lift my head to suckle on those amazing tits swaying with the motions of her body. I held onto her waist and started adding my thrusts to hers. I loved watching where our bodies were joined. Her breathy moans were coming faster and I could tell she was about to come again. Her rocking became faster and her nails dug into my chest. "Oh God, Eric, Oh God, oh FUCK!" she screamed as she came and it was a beautiful sight.

I slowed my thrusts while she rode out her orgasm and I gently flipped us over so I could look down at her. I positioned myself on my knees, lifting her hips to mine so I could get deeper inside her. She wrapped her legs around my waist and whispered the sexiest thing I had ever heard from her lips when she wasn't coming. "Fuck me hard, Eric."

Again, I more than happy to oblige her. I pounded into her until I felt my own release building. She was on the edge _again_ and when she reached down to touch herself to give herself relief, I fell over with her, her name on my lips.

I fell to her side and looked over at her. She was breathing heavy and her hair was in little sweaty tendrils sticking to her face. She smiled and looked at me. "That was amazing. Thank you," she said with a soft kiss.

"Hey Sook, who the hell is here with you?" a male voice called from the kitchen and I heard footsteps pause.

Sookie's eyes widened and shot upright. "Oh fuck! We are so screwed," she moaned.

**A/N: Okay, gonna answer a PM that I got regarding Sookie's experience level. I refer you to Chapter 7 in reference to Rasul: **_Between prom and graduation, we had been together several more times, and each time was better than the one before. He taught me about my body, what I liked and what I didn't, and what I needed to have that amazing explosion of pleasure._** She knows what she's doing. She knows what she wants. Side note, it is almost impossible to write a teenager sex scene without giggling while listening to "S&M" by Rihanna. Just so ya know. Sorry for the cliffy here. Who could possibly be at Gran's house and knows her well enough to call her "Sook"? I haven't written ahead this time, so it may take a little time to get teasers out. Offer stands: teasers for reviews. I appreciate every single one. I appreciate all the alert and favorite notices also, but the reviews make me do a little happy dance. Love you all! MMMMWWWWAAAAHHHHH!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay, I went a bit longer on this than I intended, but it's not like anyone's gonna be upset by that. I had an ending all set, then I had a dream that picked up at my **_**original**_** ending and I was suddenly very glad I didn't post this last night and could add on. Missy Dee deserves my thanks **_**yet again**_** for being my pre-reader and talking me though a minor blockage of inspiration. Charlaine owns them, I just get the mistakes. Enjoy!**

**SPOV**

"Fuck fuck fuck!" I mumbled, completely too aware that half our clothes were on the kitchen floor. Eric looked over at me with a mix of concern and worry on his face. "Get dressed," I hissed urgently and tossed him his shorts from the floor, which he pulled on quickly. Since two very important components needed to cover myself were in another room, I settled for wrapping myself in the sheet and hoping for the best.

I heard footsteps coming down the hall slowly. Eric sat sideways on the bed, protectively. I covered my eyes with the hand that wasn't securing the sheet. The last thing I expected was feeling a soft thud of something landing on the bed and a quiet snort of laughter. I dared a peek through my fingers.

"God damn it, Andre! What the hell?" I yelled and he literally doubled over laughing.

"Forget something?" he managed to choke out between chuckles.

"You complete shit! Get out of here!" The thud on the bed had been the clothes my cousin had collected from the kitchen floor. Andre turned and walked down the hall. I scrambled to get dressed and tossed Eric his shirt. He looked bewildered. "Trust me, this shit ain't over," I warned him.

"Your cousin?" he asked as he pulled the shirt over his head. I silently bid a sad farewell to his pecs and abs before continuing.

"Don't let his jolly blond giant act fool you. He's just _slightly_ less protective of me than Jason is. There's a reason I haven't had you meet me at my house.

"Why is that?" he asked, looking a little wounded. Damn sad clown eyes.

"Honestly? My brother has kind of a very big problem with this," I said, gesturing back and forth between the two of us.

He opened his mouth to say something when Andre bellowed, "Sook, I ain't going anywhere until you get your ass out here and give me a damn good reason why I shouldn't call Jase and Uncle Corbett."

"Fuck," I moaned again and turned to Eric. "You can stay back here if you want, but you'll get some questions answered if you come out with me."

He was being unusually quiet as he followed me down the hall. As I had known it would, Andre's jovial mood had evaporated and transitioned to something far more surly. He was pacing the floor like a caged lion. He was on me as soon as he heard the footsteps coming down the hall stop.

"What the fuck were you thinking, huh? Gran's house? Jesus Christ, Sookie."

I felt my back stiffen. "Dre, you know you have no say over what I do." I tried to keep my voice calm and mellow. "I don't see why you need to tell anyone about what you walked in on.." Yeah, I was using the same tone that Obi-wan used when performing his Jedi mind trick. I only hoped it worked the same way on pissed off good ole boys.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Do you know what Jason or your dad would have done if _they_ had been the ones to walk in and see half your clothes on the floor?" He looked Eric over. "Pretty boy there would be either in handcuffs or the hospital... probably both. Where is your sense, Susannah?"

Oh, he did not just pull out the full first name shit. "That is reason enough not to tell them. Everything that has happened here was my decision. What the hell are you doing here anyway?

"Phil called Vic to say he saw a strange car heading up the driveway. Since I was going into town, he asked me to swing by and check it out.

I put my hands on his shoulders and looked up at my cousin. "Dre, I am _begging_ you. Forget you walked into this house and _PLEASE_ don't say anything to Jase or Daddy."

He took my hands off his shoulders and held them in his own. "I know as well as you how caveman they can be when it comes to you. I also know what Jason would do if he walked in on Sophie or Hadley the same way I did on you. I don't like keeping this from him. Hey you," he turned suddenly to face Eric. "You're being awfully quiet over there. What have you got to say for yourself?"

Okay, so he didn't seem to know who Eric was by sight. That was a good thing. I just prayed Eric wouldn't say too much or cop an attitude.

He kept his voice soft and respectful. "I'm not really sure what you want me to say."

Andre's eyes smiled, even if his mouth stayed grim. "I want you to give me a good reason not to turn you over to my cousin and uncle."

Eric gave a small grin. "I really like Sookie. I would hate to lose out on the chance to get to know her better. And I would hate to be on the disabled list my senior year season."

Wow. That last one was good. Andre had the same physique as Eric and had played quarterback as well. He'd been heavily scouted and played a year in Alabama when a blown knee ended his career and free ride. He knew the pain of not being able to play and I wondered if Eric knew that.

**EPOV**

Fucking Andre Paul! Okay, hero worship aside, _damn_! He'd been a senior when I was a freshman. I'd seen him scouted by every university in the southeast. I'd been watching the game on ESPN when his career was ended by a bad hit. And he was Sookie's cousin. I watched their interaction silently.

When he started asking me why I shouldn't be turned in, I had nothing but honest answers. I _did_ want to know Sookie better because I _really_ liked her. More and more with every day that passed. But more than anything, I would hate to lose out on being scouted because I'd had the shit kicked out of me. I knew full well that I had a chance at an amazing scholarship as long as I stayed healthy.

I could see his gears turning. I knew that I could probably take Jason, but I wouldn't want to. I was bigger than him, but he'd have anger on his side. Plus there was the whole Romeo-Tybalt-Juliet angle. (Just because I'm a jock doesn't mean that I don't have a brain. I remember Shakespeare. More accurately, I remember Clare Danes.)

Andre pulled Sookie to the side and they began mumbling too low for me to hear what exactly they were saying. All of a sudden, Sookie stood on her toes, kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug. He gave me a kind of salute and walked out the door.

After he left, Sookie took my hand and led me out to the picnic table. As I sat next to her, she lightly ran her fingers over my knuckles. "Anything you want to tell me?" she asked.

Shit. "Not really."

She smirked at me. "My bullshit detector is reading that as a false. Fess up."

"I kind of broke Bill's nose and punched him for attacking you."

"I know," she said with a small smile. "That's why Andre was willing to leave and not say a word."

"How'd he know?"

"Phil told Uncle Victor about Bill 'falling' at Merlotte's and breaking his nose. Andre saw your hand. He's a lot smarter than most people give him credit for. That's what we were talking about. He asked if I had told you about what had happened. I told him that I had and that you were pissed. I mentioned that you dropped me off there last night. It's not hard to put two and two together."

I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. "Are you mad?"

She brushed my bruised knuckles with her lips. "I really don't like violence. But I do feel oddly satisfied that you were able to do what Jason and Andre weren't. Thank you for standing up for me."

"You're welcome. Why are your dad and brother so overprotective?"

She flushed a little in the dim light outside. "I've always been a daddy's girl. I way preferred working with him on the farm then playing with the dolls my mom kept buying for me. But my body had different ideas. I started developing _really_ early and I got picked on for it. Jason was my protector and never really dropped the role. Here's the thing though." She took a deep breath. "He's heard rumors and gossip about you and your 'well earned reputation'. He thinks you're going to use me and toss me aside. No matter how much I tell him that he doesn't have to worry about that, he won't listen to me."

Well shit. I knew that girls talked. I knew that I had earned the reputation that I had. Strange how something that I had taken pride in a few short months ago made me feel sick now. "You know it's not like that with you, right?"

"Eric, I want to be honest with you. If it had been, when we were at the party, I would have been fine with it. I wasn't looking for anything but fun. I met Rasul and did the boyfriend thing. I was okay, but I'm glad he had to go back to Spain. Maybe that's why I picked him: the inevitable end. And I don't want a relationship. I know we covered this last night, but I want you to understand some things. I like you. I do. We have fun together and, honestly, you are amazing in bed. You get me and my sense of humor, which is rare. The more time I spend with you, I'm getting more confused about what I really want."

I couldn't help it. I leaned over and kissed that spot on her neck that I committed to memory and smiled against her skin at the goosebumps it caused. "Tell me what you want, _Susannah_," I whispered the name and she shivered.

"I don't think I've ever liked the way my full name sounded until just now," she groaned. "I love what you do to me, but I hate it too."

"Just go with it. I can't get enough you."

She straightened up and sat up, pulling away from me slightly. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to lead you on and make you think there can be more than this. But I know that I don't want to see you with anyone else. And that is so fucking unfair to you. I know I'm going to have to make a decision, but right now I just want to enjoy what we have in _this_ moment."

"What if you didn't have to make a decision? I am completely comfortable keeping this as casual as you want, for the moment. This is new to _both_ of us. I can tell you that I don't want anyone as much as I want you. But we're both going to be busy starting tomorrow. We have time. I'm a patient guy," I said shrugging.

She smiled, biting her lower lip. "Do you know how tempting the thought of dragging you back into that house is right now?" she asked with a giggle.

"But that would be tempting fate, and I have to be ready to run drills in pads tomorrow, so I should head home. I want to see you again though. Soon," I emphasized.

"I get off at four tomorrow afternoon. What time does practice end?"

"Usually off the field between three-thirty and four. I'd be free by four-thirty at the latest. Why?"

"You usually hungry after practice?"

"Like a starved bear. Why?"

She grinned that devilish smile that I was learning to love more and more. "What do you say to picking me up when you're free and we take some food out to Daddy's cabin and have a private little picnic?"

I kissed her forehead and held her close to me. "I think that may be the best offer I've ever had." Uuugh. I don't know if I could ever go to the lake again and not think of her. That could get embarrassing.

"Why don't you go rest. I'll get everything here cleaned up and taken care of. See you tomorrow by four-thirty?"

"You got it," I replied, ready for practice to come and go so I could have her to myself again.

**SPOV**

I tidied up the house after our little sexcapade and made my way home after Eric left. I was glad he was okay with keeping things casual. If I knew one thing about myself, forcing me to act one way was a sure way to get me to act in the opposite manner. Yeah, I know, typical teenager. What can I say?

I headed home and saw Daddy and Jason watching... something. I got questioned about why I was gone so long. I just said that after I was done at Gran's I got some dinner. Pointedly _not_ a lie. I just didn't mention where, with who, and what was for dessert.

I pulled out the black shorts I would need for tomorrow and set aside a comfy outfit to wear after work. I cuddled up in my bed, smiling with the memories of just how freaking _awesome_ this afternoon had been.

I was at Merlotte's by ten the next morning. Senior gave me three t-shirts to change out as my uniform and a waist apron to carry a ticket book, pen, and tips. He and the other waitress Arlene showed me the layout, the sections, the table "names" and what to do with the orders. I learned about the opening side work and the things that needed to be done before having the evening server take over your section. It seemed like a lot to take in at once, but I figured it was a matter of getting into a groove with it.

By four, though, I thought my knees were going to give out and I couldn't remember my feet ever hurting so bad. I put in a ticket for chicken tenders and two steak quesadillas. Those things were huge and I had no doubt that Eric could kill one AND all the chicken. I remembered how Jason would eat after practice.

I changed, got my to go containers and sat outside for a smoke while I waited for Eric. I couple of the girls I knew he had hung out with walked by, acting as though I was invisible, as always. I was used to it by now, but all of a sudden, it really pissed me off. They weren't any better than me.

"Thalia better get off her ass and start practicing. Dance squad tryouts are in a couple of weeks and you know she almost got kicked off last year for not being able to keep up. Have you been working out your routines?"

The redhead chuckled. "Those routines are getting ridiculous. Do they think we're the fucking Rockettes or something? I'm going for cheerleading this year. You guys take the hard work during halftime and I'll stand on the sidelines and wave some pompoms."

The blond laughed. "Yeah, that's all the cheerleaders do. We'll miss you. You're the best dancer on the squad. I can't think of anyone else who could measure up." They continued their conversation as the door closed behind them.

Seriously? I would have to check into _that_. I could probably work out some deal with Senior so I could work and practice. Because, really, I'd seen the blond dance at prom. I was better..

I saw the red Camero and felt the smile split my face. I grabbed the bag with our food and hopped in the passenger seat before he could even consider parking the car. His smile was as wide as mine when we took off towards the lake.

We got to the cabin and he spread out the same blanket he'd had the other night. We sat in the fading light and ate our dinners, talking about our days. He smirked that Bill was temporarily benched because of the nose. I tried really hard not to feel good about that, but that was a lesson in futility. I told him about my new job and innocently mentioned that my feet hurt from the walking/running/standing I'd been doing for six straight hours. Without a word, he pulled off my tennis shoes and began rubbing my feet with those large, strong hands of his.

At that moment, I really couldn't think of anything that felt any better. I was slightly self-conscious of the moans that I was making, but damn it, it felt awesome. If I was affected by his hands, he was affected my the sounds I made. He unknowingly hit a ticklish spot and I started giggling.

Without warning (well, I was in a foot massage haze), he was on me and kissing me. His lips caressed mine, his tongue running over mine, making me moan even more, only now into his mouth. He lightly sucked on my neck and earlobe, giving me goosebumps.

I threaded my fingers into his hair and kissed him back harder. I ran my other hand down his side and up his back, bringing his shirt with it. It seemed the only time we separated from each other was to remove clothing. His shirt got tossed in some unknown direction, since I was working on getting my own off, as well as my bra. He pulled me back to him, only this time, I was on top of him, straddling his legs. His hands renewed their friendship with the girls while I kissed his neck, jaw, mouth before letting his head join the party his hands were throwing on my chest.

He sucked, nibbled, tweaked, rolled, licked my nipples until I was squirming on his lap. I could clearly tell how he was feeling about my restlessness. I lifted his chin and brought his mouth back to mine. He slid his hands down the back of my shorts and cupped my ass and pulled me closer so that my hips were flush with his. The bulge in his shorts rubbed against me perfectly and it was hard to keep rational thoughts in my head. I could feel my heartbeat speeding up and it was getting harder to catch my breath.

He moved one of his hands off my butt to my front, sliding his hand down my stomach, unbuttoning the waistband, and slipping past my panties until his fingers brushed over my nub, making me shudder and gasp. His fingers very lightly caressed me, despite my squirming to get more friction. I felt his warm breath on my ear. "Tell me what you want me to do, _Susannah_, " he whispered, emphasizing my name.

"Make me come, Eric," I whispered back. _No one_ had ever made my name sound as good as he did. I didn't care how brazen I sounded. I just wanted the release I knew only too well that he could give me.

His fingers dipped into me and I know I moaned. His thumb traced little circles over my clit while two fingers thrust into me, brushing my g-spot just enough to make me want more. I could feel that coil of tightness in my belly being stretched and I panted, "So close." He leaned in and kissed me hard. At the same time his fingers went deep into and began massaging and his thumb pressed down hard on my clit. It felt like I had sparks shooting out of my fingers and I saw stars as I cried out his name.

His lips played gently on my neck and he ran his fingers through my hair as I came down and rode out the aftershocks. I curled into his chest and laid my head on his shoulder until I caught my breath. I used that time to kiss his neck and let my hands become reacquainted with his pecs. When my breathing had become normal again, I whispered to him, "What do you want me to do, Eric?"

"I want to be inside you. Do you have anything?" he said, sounding as breathless as I had earlier.

"Purse," I said and he loped over to the car to pull it out. I dug through and found the other condom I had thought to put in there the other night. Thanking God for my inadvertent forethought may have been going a bit too far, but I was thankful regardless. I pulled it out, set it on the blanket, and scrambled to get rid of the rest of my clothes while he did the same.

**EPOV**

I watched her frenzy to get undressed and I followed her lead. My shorts and boxers fell to my feet and I pounced. It had taken all of my self control not to come in my pants when she had been grinding her hips against me. It was in shreds by this point and I was glad that I'd already made her come because I had no idea how long I would be able to last once I was inside her tight, wet warmth.

She ripped open the foil and rolled the condom on me and I felt my eyes roll back with the strokes of her hand over my cock. I grabbed her wrist. "You're going to need to stop that or it will be over before we start," I groaned. She smirked, but removed her hand. She leaned back on her elbows and beckoned me with her finger. I dove in to kiss her and was able to slide into her effortlessly, she was still so wet from earlier. She immediately lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me deeper into her. She was making the breathy little sighs that were so hot. She pulled my head down by my hair to kiss her again and that little bit of dominance almost took me over too soon.

I wanted to make her come again before I did. I leaned down and sucked one of her nipples and reached to tease her clit. I could feel her inner muscles fluttering, so I could tell she was on the edge. I pinched her swollen nub and felt her clench, buck, stiffen, and cry out my name all over again. It was enough for her to pull me over with her, moaning her name. I pulled out and wrapped the condom in a napkin to go out in the trash from our dinners. I pulled her close to me and we laid under the stars, naked, sweaty, and completely sated.

"So why don't you go by Susannah? Why 'Sookie'?" I asked.

She giggled, probably out of sheer giddiness, and rested her head on my chest. "I only get that from Gran when she's mad at me. Sookie was my dad's little nickname for me, and it stuck and spread. I don't know if anyone outside of my family even knows it's not my real name. Even in school, the teachers are surprised when I'm registered as 'Susannah'. It just seems formal and fussy, and I've never been a fussy and formal kind of gal."

"What are we going to do when school starts?" It seemed a random time for these questions, but I wanted to know.

"Who says we have to do anything? We still have over a month until then. You have your friends, I have mine. You have your sports. I have my drama and my newspaper and now my job. Maybe some other things, not to mention the usual assload of homework. We'll just play it by ear."

Maybe not the answer I had been looking for, but it made sense. She turned her head and looked at her watch. "Fuck! You make me lose time. It's almost nine. We need to get me back to my car before Daddy sends out a search party." She started pulling on her clothes and grabbed her phone out of her purse. "Shit. I have five voicemails, all from home. I need to call."

I started getting dressed silently as she had a conversation with her brother, who answered the phone.

"Jase, calm down, okay?" "I went out with a friend after work to relax." "No, you don't know her." "Jason, I'll be home within an hour. Tell Daddy and Mom that I'm fine and I'm on my way, okay?" "Okay, I'll see you in a little while. Bye."

"Her?" I asked with a little smile.

She grinned. "He said it, I just didn't bother to correct him." She took the bag of trash to the big can outside the cabin and smooshed it down. She came back and helped me fold up the blanket to go back in my trunk before pulling me down for a leisurely kiss, then sliding into the passenger seat. "I'm going to hang out with Tara tomorrow. Do you think you can find something to do with a night off?"

"I'm sure I can think of something. After the exertion of today, and then tonight, my body will probably appreciate a night of 'nothing' after practice tomorrow." I was true, although certain parts of me would be lonely. I drove down the empty country roads until I got back into town and was able to drop Sookie back at her car. She leaned in and gave me another kiss. "Sweet dreams, Eric. I'll see you later," she said before pulling out her keys and leaving in her car. "Sweet" my ass. No dream that she caused would ever be "sweet".

**A/N: Yeah, my original stopping point was her getting into his car after work. Aren't you glad I continued? I know I ruined a little suspense with my last teaser, but I didn't see anyway around it. If you review and don't want a teaser, just mention it. I LOVE reviews. That and the sheer need of a creative outlet for all the shit floating around in my head are the reasons I'm here. I love the alert and favorite notices and am grateful for each and every one. But reviews make me so happy. Please review. Yes, I am begging.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Well, here's another chapter, **_**finally**_**. Before you bust my chops, I have very good reasons for the delay: the flu (or the worst cold I've ever had) and seasonal flare ups. It made putting my hair in its usual ponytail a 5 minute process involving tears, so the thought of typing was panic-inducing. Summer to fall is worse than winter to spring, so I will proactively ask for forgiveness for any delays. RA is a massive bitch. That said, this is a lemon-free chapter, but some pretty exciting things happen. Hope you like. Charlaine owns them, I'm just making them go through high school again.**

**SPOV**

I went by the school before going into work. I found out what I needed to try out for the dance squad. Application and list of requirements in hand, I headed to Merlotte's. The second day was easier than the first, but still harder physical work than I'd ever done before.

After I was done, I headed to Tara's house. We looked over the requirements. I had to choreograph and perform a dance of no longer than five minutes to a piece of music of my choosing.

Tara had been in dance classes since preschool and helped me with the choreography since I knew nothing about planning out a dance. We both scrolled through our I-pods and her old CDs until she found a song that she felt was perfect. I thought "Hips Don't Lie" was a bit obvious and suggestive, but she overruled me. We made plans to practice a few times a week until the tryouts.

Dee invited me to stay for dinner and afterward, Tara and I took our tea out to her old swing set. We swung back and forth and talked over the creaky chains.

"How are things going with Studmuffin?" she asked, flashing me a wicked grin.

I rolled my eyes. "Eric is fine. We've gotten together a few times, but we're staying casual."

Tara smirked. "How on God's green earth are you thinking you're going to stay _casual_? I can already tell you're smitten."

I glowered at her. "I am _not_ smitten. I just don't dislike the guy. He's fun."

She chuckled like she didn't believe me. Bitch. "So you're hooking up like cats in heat and all you can say is that you don't dislike him and that he's fun? Honey, you can't down play everything. Your eyes get all sparkly when you talk about him."

"Look, we agreed to keep things easy. He has football and basketball, plus this is his senior year and he's angling for a scholarship. I have the newspaper, and drama, and my job, and dance squad if this thing works out. I'm going to be too damn busy to handle a relationship on top of everything else."

Tara suddenly looked down at the ground. "Please tell me you're not going to become some anorexic little bobble-head like Heidi. We used to be so close and now she doesn't even say hi to me anymore. I don't think I could take it if I lost you too."

I wrapped my arms around her and dipped my face to look in her eyes. "T, you've been my best friend for almost ten years, more than half our lives. We might get busy with other things in our lives, but that single fact is never going to change." Tara returned the hug and we went back to swinging.

The next couple of weeks passed quickly. I split my nights after work between my family, Tara, and Eric. He and I had had to get creative on our nights out. We went to a drive-in theater and never saw a single minute of the movie. We learned all about the parks in the area and places we could park and not get interrupted. Nothing kills a mood faster than an overweight security guard shining a Maglite through fogged up windows.

**EPOV**

I was ready to beat the hell out of Coach Quinn. It is to damn early to be running drills at seven thirty in the fucking morning. But it got us off the field and showered so I could see Sookie after she got off work. The nights she hung out with her friends or family gave me time with my friends. It wasn't nearly as satisfying. My friends were now split into two factions: Bill's group and mine. I refused to be in the same room as him if there was a choice.

But the nights with Sookie were amazing. No matter what we did, I couldn't get enough of her. That surprised me. I wasn't one to stick around. But she was like glue. I didn't want to leave her. She was so... real. Every other girl I had been with had been fake from their hair extensions to the acrylic nails. There was nothing artificial about Sookie. I loved that.

She also hadn't tried to ingratiate herself into my group of friends. She wasn't interested in hanging out with them. Not that I could blame her. The more I exposed myself to life outside of my little clique, the more I realized how boring and bland they were. I loved just talking with Sookie. She would tell me funny stories about the tables she waited on or things going on in her family. I could tell her about the shit going on at home or just how anxious I was, in general, about getting a scholarship. My grades weren't the best, because I tended to put things off and bullshit my way through my classes. My only real chance of getting into a decent school without having to go the community college route first was to get an athletic scholarship.

And then there was the sex. I had no idea how _good_ it could be. For such a tiny little thing that looked so innocent, she was a sex kitten when she wanted to be. I had a spank bank full of her expressions and sounds that she would make. She was, far and away, the best I'd ever had, and I had no intentions on letting her slip away. I know I had told that this... whatever it was we were doing was casual, but it didn't mean that I would be looking for anyone else. And she had told me that she wasn't looking anywhere else either. I don't know _why_ she insisted on keeping things casual, but that's what we were.

Max grabbed me after practice one afternoon. "Man, you gotta come out to the gym. Dance squad tryouts this afternoon. We can watch the horrible wannabes shimmy their way to laughingstocks. And seeing Heidi and Thalia do their thing...mmm." He actually licked his lips. Uugh.

This was one of my non-Sookie afternoons, so I figured why not. Some of the girls that tried out should not _ever_ be allowed near a dance floor. Not to mention, they probably couldn't fit into the tiny little outfits that the squad wore when they performed. Some of the other guys on the team joined us in the gym to watch.

Felicia, as the team captain, and Halleigh, the coach, sat behind a fold out table, flipping through applications. They had a large boombox and an mp3 player dock at the table. The applicants were waiting in the locker room for their name to be called. The first few girls clearly didn't have the skills needed to keep up with the demanding routines that the squad performed. But it was fun to watch. A few girls later, and there was maybe one or two who would be able to make it. Thalia was actually a disappointment. She hadn't been practicing and I had doubts as to whether she would be making the team this year, even with her best friend as captain.

"Sookie Stackhouse," was called and I froze. No way. What the fuck was she doing? I suddenly didn't want to be there. But you couldn't have unglued my ass from the bleacher if you tried. She was wearing light blue yoga shorts and a hot pink sports bra. That was _all_. My shorts we getting uncomfortable.

She smiled brightly and popped her I-pod onto the dock after handing her choreography to Felicia. After scrolling through, she found her song. When she was ready, Halleigh hit play. I heard the intro of trumpets and Wyclef mumbling... ffffuck! Fucking Shakira? Seriously? She moved her body like... like fucking Shakira. I know my eyes were wide as saucers, not wanting to miss a single shimmy, shake, or hip swivel. After the song ended, I glanced around and my teammates were having similar reactions. She was a dismissed with a "We'll call you when we reach a decision," like everyone else, but I knew she'd be making it. Fuck me.

I left the gym, no longer interested in watching any of the other applicants. I found her blue Cabrio in the parking lot and leaned against it, waiting for her. She exited the gym and smiled when she saw me. She had pulled on a sleeveless white button down shirt over her sports bra, but left it unbuttoned. She bumped my hip with hers. "So what did you think?"

"About what?" I asked, distracted by the sheer amount of skin she was displaying.

"My tryout, you goof. Do you think they'll be calling me with good news or bad news?" she asked, bumping me again.

"Umm, good news. Definitely. You looked amazing out there. I'm kind of jealous that everyone else there got to see you, though. I thought some of those moves were just for me," I babbled. I was still looking over the long, smooth legs, toned belly, and plentiful cleavage she was showing like it was nothing.

"You get to see the moves when I'm naked. It makes a difference," she said nonchalantly.. Those words went straight to my dick and I think I might have moaned a little, because she giggled.

"You want to get some food? You have to be hungry. What good is an employee discount if we can't take advantage of it?"

"Uh-huh." I would agree to just about anything she said, just to spend some more time with her.

She nodded her head toward my car. "Meet me there." She got in her car and pulled out of the parking lot before I had even reached my car. I shook my head and drove to Merlotte's.

Pulling in, I saw the big blue pickup that I despised now. I parked next to Sookie and called to her before she got inside. She came back to meet me. "We should go somewhere else. It's not going to be pleasant in there."

She looked over my shoulder at the pickup and nodded. "I know Bill's here. I don't give a fuck. I'm not going to let him scare me off. I work here. I go to school with him. I'm not going to let him stop me from enjoying parts of my life just because he's a douche. Now do you want some free food or not?"

Damn, she was fierce. "When you put it that way, let's go." I followed her in and sat with her in one of the booths, ignoring the gasps and whispers from the pool room.

**SPOV**

I sat with Eric, ready to order my favorite chicken and mushroom sandwich when Sam approached the table. "Hey Sook. I saw you come in and wanted to say bye. I head back to school this weekend and you're always so busy that I haven't gotten to hang out with you again."

I smiled and stood to give Sam a hug. "Don't forget to go out with Jason before you leave. He'll be pissed if you don't."

He hugged me back and I sat back down. "I know and I won't forget. It was good seeing you again, Sookie." He looked over at Eric. "You hurt her and you're going to be in a world of hurt yourself. Don't forget that, man."

Eric scowled, but didn't say anything. I picked up the slack. "Yeah, yeah. I can take care of myself, Sam. Have a safe trip this weekend." He went to school about five hours away and the trip was mired with speed traps and overcrowded interstates. It was not a fun drive.

He patted my hand and pulled out a ticket book to take our orders. I guess Senior was shorthanded if Sam was waiting tables and I felt faintly guilty to be taking advantage of my discount when I could be working. But I knew I wasn't ready yet to be working the evening shift. The dinner rush hadn't started yet, so I felt a little better. I ordered my sandwich, Eric got a cheeseburger, and we got a basket of fries to share. I got my Coke and Eric got ice water. We talked about what we were going to do with the rest of our breaks and were amazed that there were only two weeks left until school started again.

Suddenly, "Umbrella" started blaring from my pocketbook. "Sorry," I said sheepishly. I knew it wouldn't be anyone I knew. My phone book was littered with personal ring tones for everyone. "Umbrella" was the default.

After I said hello, an overly perky voice responded, "Sookie? Is that you?"

"Umm, yeah. Who is this?"

"This is Halleigh Robinson. We were very impressed with you today and would like to know if you'd accept a position on the dance squad."

I felt my eyes widen. I knew I had done well, especially when I saw the reaction my little tryout had had on the members of the football team that had come to watch. "I would love to, but I would need to know the schedule so I can work everything out with my job."

"For the remainder of the summer, we'll be practicing daily in the afternoons, getting used to new routines and new squad members. After school starts, we will practice Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and Friday mornings if there's a home game. We don't travel with the team to away games. It changes a little in the winter for basketball season. Is that doable?"

I was bouncing, that's how happy I was. "If you don't mind holding on for a few minutes, I can find out. Just a sec." I put my phone down on the table and ran back to the order window. "Senior, I got the dance squad! I would need Tuesdays, Thursdays, and home game days off. Is that okay?"

He high-fived me through the window. "More than okay, sugar. Your mom and dad would shoot me if I gave you more than sixteen hours a week anyway, because you need time to do your homework, and the weekends are wide open, right?

"You got it. Thanks!" I grabbed my phone off the table. "Everything is all good. When do practices start?"

I could hear Halleigh smile through the phone. "We start this Monday, four thirty, in the gym where the tryouts were held. Welcome to the team, Sookie."

I ended the call and smiled at Eric. "I got the squad!"

"Did you doubt it?" he responded, with a smile for me.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" a nasally screech came from the pool room. "This little nobody gets _my_ spot on the squad? I get called saying that I'm not a good fit for the team anymore and _she_ gets it? And what the fuck are you doing with her, Eric?"

I looked her over. She was beautiful, in an antique cameo kind of way. Long black curls to her shoulders and a profile from an ancient coin. But her face was screwed up with malice, looking back and forth between Eric and myself.

"Thalia, you need to calm down. She earned a spot, fair and square. If you had stayed to watch the rest of the tryouts, you would have seen how awesome she was." Eric defended me from scary popular chick. Huh. Okay.

"Don't give me that shit, Eric. This new girl thinks she can take what's mine?" New girl? Say what?

Eric rolled his eyes. "She's been going to school with us for years, Thal."

"How come I've never seen her?"

"Maybe because your head was shoved to far up your ass to notice anyone who wasn't in your little gang. You tried to date my brother. Remember Jason Stackhouse? He wouldn't give you the time of day?" I asked. I felt petty for throwing that in her face, but she was pissing me off.

"_You're_ Jason's sister? I don't remember you," she said, just as nasally, but at least the screech was gone.

"Doesn't make it any less true. Just makes you oblivious."

She apparently didn't like me using words she didn't understand. She decided to try to play nasty. "You know he's just using you to scratch an itch," she said tossing her ringlets in Eric's direction. "He never sticks around. I would know."

"Then it's a good thing I have nice fingernails. His itches get scratched quite well. Can you say that you were able to do the same?"

Her jaw dropped and shot Eric a furious look. He just raised his eyebrow at her with a little smirk and she huffed, turned, and flounced back into the pool room, where all her little girl friends huddled around her, giving her fake sympathy during her hissy-fit.

**EPOV**

Damn! I knew that Sookie had attitude, but it was kind of hot to see it come out that way. I hadn't known Thalia was going to be a bitch and throw our history in Sookie's face. But, thankfully, she took it in stride and turned it around on her.

Bill stared at us from the pool room with a strange mix of envy and rage on his face. I ignored him and went back to eating my meal. Sookie did the same, with a smile on her face.

"So why didn't you tell me you were trying out for the squad?" I asked, curious that she left that little detail out of all our conversations.

She finished her bite and swallowed before answering. "First, I wasn't sure I was really going to do it. And I didn't want to get excited about something if it wasn't going to happen. I wanted to try out and see if I had a chance to make it. I just thought I'd see what happened. The only people I told were Senior, since I would have to leave work a little early to make the tryout, and Tara since she helped me with the choreography."

"I would have been happy to help you, if I had known."

She gave me a small smile. "I appreciate it, but it's kind of a moot point now. Besides, it's going to kind of cut into our time since I'm going to have to practice every afternoon after work. That's going to suck."

I thought about that. That _would_ suck. "I could always take you out afterward. Maybe pick you up and take you out on a real date."

She looked down while she thought about that. "With a couple of exceptions, we haven't really _dated_, have we? We met at the beach party and went out for ice cream."

"Don't forget the drive-in."

"You can't call going to a movie a 'date' if you don't actually watch the movie. That was an excuse to get busy in your car," she replied with a smirk. "And you knew that when we went there," she said in response to my fake-wounded look.

"I want to take you out. Do the whole dinner and a movie thing, where we actually sit in a theater and watch a movie... well, most of a movie," I corrected, knowing my inability to keep my hands to myself around her and a dark room would be too much temptation to resist.

"Umm... I don't know." she hedged, sounding indecisive.

"Look, it doesn't mean anything has to change. Even friends can go out to eat and watch a movie together, right?"

"Yeah..," she said, looking a little more sure.

"I promise. Nothing serious. Just a couple of friends going out." I lowered my voice so she had to lean forward to hear me. "Friends that have amazing sex."

She giggled. "You're right about that. Fine. We can go out this weekend. Be prepared to answer a full interrogation from Jason, though. He's still not your biggest fan."

"I can handle your brother. He just wants you to be happy,?" She nodded. "And I make you happy, right?" She flushed pink and nodded again. "Than we'll have no problems."

"You know you'll have to meet my parents too, right? That doesn't freak you out?"

"I don't think I've ever done a 'Meet the Parents' thing before. Should I be freaked?" I asked.

"I guess not. Daddy's like an older version of Jason, but Mom's like Hadley. She's all bubbly and sweet and kind of overwhelming.. If you can handle them, it should be okay."

"So do you want to get out of here and celebrate your new extracurricular activity?" I asked, with what I knew was an evil grin.

"You read my mind. Let's go!" She tossed some money on the table as a tip and we tore out of the diner.

**A/N: Awww... they're going to go on a real date. Kinda curious about what you guys thought of this chapter. There's kind of a transition going on. Sookie is a little firecracker, isn't she? I really and truly appreciate each and every favorite and alert notice I get. And I admit a big fail on my part to review responses, but see above: thinking of typing made me want to cry. I think I covered it though. Seriously BLOWN. AWAY. by the number of reviews I have after 16 chapters. And the offer stands: as soon as I have a teaser written, I will respond to all reviews. If you don't want the teaser, just say so in the review. Wonder if I can get to 350 with this chapter. You guys are SO. FRIGGING. AWESOME!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Well, I'm still sick. I feel like crap, but this chapter grabbed me and wouldn't let go. That's why we're hitting a record length for me. Not a lot I can say right now... more below. Forgive my errors; kinda hard to proofread through blurry eyes. Charlaine owns the characters, I'm just making them do... well, whatever seems right at the moment.**

**SPOV**

I got home from my exciting day after Eric and I "celebrated" me making the dance squad, and I can honestly say that the goofy grin on my face had nothing to do with any kind of illegal intoxicants in my system. That boy knew how to do things... _damn_. Mom and Daddy were curled up together on the couch and they both smiled at me when I came in. I told them about making the dance squad and Mom squealed like a teenager. She had been a cheerleader and had always wanted me to do something like that. She had always been proud of the work I did in drama and with the newspaper, but this was something she could point out to her friends. It wasn't the same with the other stuff. She couldn't bring them to a play and talk about the makeup I did or the sets I helped paint. And I was entertainment editor on the paper, writing reviews of music, books, and movies. Not really things we could bond over since I had to target fourteen to eighteen year olds.

I had to work lunch on Saturday and wanted to get some rest, but I wanted to give them a heads up that I would be going on a date that evening. Mom squealed again and Daddy just asked who with. I gave them the intro course to Eric Northman. Age, class, extracurricular activities. Daddy seemed to approve after he heard "football", so we were good. I asked when Jason was going to be home. I wanted him prepped so he wouldn't make an ass of himself when Eric came to pick me up. Mom rolled her eyes. "No way to tell for sure. He got some text and took off like a shot. Who knows who he went off to meet?"

Jason is a great brother, but a bad date. He was with a different girl every week, never committing to anyone for more than a night. Was kind of weird on how he came down on Eric for the same thing, but maybe it's different when your sister's interested in a guy like that. I wonder how many brothers have given their sisters hell for going out with _him_.

I changed into my jammies and took my book out onto the deck. As soon as I saw the living room get dark and heard Mom and Daddy head to bed, I lit a cigarette before I went in myself. Jason's truck pulled in behind the house and he looked furious when he stomped onto the porch.

"Where the hell were you tonight? Your car was at Merlotte's, but you weren't." He was breathing heavy and his face was all red.

"Why do you care, Jase? You can see I'm home, all safe and sound. Where were you?"

"Looking for you! I got a text saying that some guy had grabbed you in the parking lot of the diner and... shit, Sook, I was scared."

"Jason, I went out with a friend. We were celebrating my getting onto the dance squad. No one grabbed me," I said calmly. Well, no one had grabbed me in a way I hadn't wanted. "Who sent you the text?"

His breathing had slowed and his face was returning to it's normal flesh tone. "That's the weird thing. It was from a number I know I recognize, but it wasn't in my phone book. He pulled the phone it out and showed me the message. "You know that number?"

"Nope," I said, shrugging. "You should have just called me."

"Where's your phone?" he asked. When I told him, he went and grabbed it out of my purse and held it out to me. "There's this great little button on top here called 'power'. You might want to turn it on."

I grimaced. "Shit, I'm sorry. I must have powered it down after I got the call about the dance squad. I really am sorry, Jase."

"It happens. So what did you and your 'friend' do to celebrate?"

"Not important. Umm, Jase, Eric is taking me out tomorrow night." I figured now was as good a time as any.

"Why are you letting this guy in, Sook?" he asked, taking a seat next to me and stealing one of my cigarettes. By the way, you know you're gonna have to quit this when you get started on the dance routines, right?" he asked, motioning to the cigarette he was lighting

"I fully intend on quitting... after this weekend. And I want you to give Eric a chance. He has been a total gentleman around me. If he didn't have the reputation he has, you wouldn't have a problem with him, would you?"

"Hell, the only reason I know who he is is because of that reputation. But it's enough to make me worry."

"He broke Bill's nose," I told him. It worked on Andre; let's see if it would work on my brother.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"He found out about Bill pushing himself on me that morning at Gran's. He punched him in the nose and broke it."

"How did he find out about it and why would he care?"

"Jason, stop being so damn cynical. He found out about it because I told him. I told him because we're getting to be friends. That's also why he cares and that's why he's willing to come over tomorrow night and face your overprotective ass to take me on a date."

He scowled at me for a minute, then relaxed the tension in his shoulders and leaned back on the swing. "I'm not used to it, Sook. You're my baby sister. I'm supposed to look out for you, and it feels like I'm sending you out to the wolves."

I leaned into his side and put my head on his shoulder. "I can take care of myself, big brother. But, know that there's already a line forming to kick Eric's ass if he steps out of line."

"How is that?" he asked. "I thought this was kind of a new thing."

"Jase, I've been telling you for almost a month now that Eric and I have been hanging out. Did you think I was going to stop just because _you_ didn't like the idea of him? The line forms behind Sam and Andre," I said and had another of the "Shut the fuck up while you're ahead" moments that came too late.

"Andre? How the fuck does Andre find out about this before I do?" He sat up and nudged my head off his shoulder so he could look at me.

Shitshitshit! Come on, Sook, you've got a decent brain. Think, God damn it! "Umm," I said, stalling, trying to think of a reason my rarely seen cousin would know about Eric before my brother and coming up with nothing. Shit.

"Sookie," he said quietly and tipping my chin up to look in his eyes. "Why does our cousin know more about who you're going out with than I do?"

"Umm..." Fuck, I still had nothing. I would be vague, but honest. "Jase, honestly, you _really_ don't want to know that."

"Fine. I'll call Dre and ask him," he said and pulled out his phone. I grabbed his hand, knowing that Andre wouldn't lie if asked directly.

"Jase, just trust me on this. Trust me that Eric has not done a _single_ thing that I haven't wanted him to do and leave it at that." I gave him the puppy dog eyes that worked on Daddy to see if they worked on version 2.0.

His face relaxed slightly and he slid the phone back in his pocket. "I'm holding you to that, Sook. But I'm cutting to the front if that fucker steps one toe out of line with you."

I put out my cigarette and marked my place in the book before going inside. I gave Jason a hug and he grabbed my pack before I left the porch. I wondered who had sent him that text and what they were hoping to accomplish.

**EPOV**

I pulled into our driveway and parked, hitting the security button on my key chain before letting myself into the house. Pam looked toward the door from her position on the couch. "What the hell are you so happy about?"

"Nothing. Just had a good day," I replied and her grumpy face broke out and an evil grin.

"You finally get some?"

"I will neither confirm nor deny. You'll just have to wonder. And, for the record, eww. I don't want to think about you thinking about me 'getting some'," I said with a shudder.

"Then what's with the goofy-ass grin?" Her sourpuss face returned.

"I am taking Sookie out on an official date tomorrow. I'm excited about it."

"Well, what the hell have you been doing all these other nights with her? Learning chess? Playing Monopoly? Why not just admit it?" And now, the grin was back.

"No comment."

"Give me something here. Being stuck at home is boring as hell. Mom and Dad at work, you either at practice or out with Sookie or those douche friends of yours. I have nothing to do and no one to hang out with and this, frankly, amuses the shit out of me."

"Well, I'm glad I amuse you, but I'm still not saying anything. I'm going to bed. G'night." I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and downed it as I headed to my room, leaving Pam pouting behind me.

I really was excited, but kind of nervous about an _official_ date. I was not looking forward to meeting her jerk of a brother who kept trying to turn her against me, no matter how I may have idolized him once upon a time. But I had no one to blame for his attitude but myself. I sure as hell wouldn't want Pam going out with a guy like me. And if any girl before Sookie had tried to get me to do the parental meet-and-greet, well, it just wasn't happening. I hadn't had any plans to stick around long enough for them to get to know me.

I made it to sleep and it seemed like only minutes before the alarm went off. I yanked the cord and went back to sleep. I never remembered to turn the damn thing off on Saturdays. Around ten, I made my way to the kitchen and made myself some breakfast. I grabbed the paper and tried to see if there were any decent movies playing, but none caught my interest. I texted Sookie, knowing she was just getting to work and might be able to check her messages before starting.

E- _Comedy,__Action,__Horror,__or__other?_

A few minutes later, I got the chirp.

S- _Depends__on__my__mood.__I__like__a__little__of__everything.__What__are__you__up__for?_

Damn, so many ways I could take that, but flicked the panting devil off my should for the moment.

E-_None__of__the__above.__Everything__I__want__to__see__is__on__pay__per__view._

Yeah, I hit send before I thought that through.

S-_None__of__that__porn__shit._

Fuck. She went there.

E- _No!__Captain__America,__Green__Lantern,__Thor,__X-men,__those__movies._

S- _LOL!__Are__you__a__closet__comic__geek?_

I knew she wasn't making fun of me, but I did just realize they were all comic book movies.

E- _My__dad's__out__of__town,__my__mom's__on__graveyard__shift,__and__Pam's__sleeping__over__with__a__friend.__You__want__to__order__takeout__and__come__over__for__a__movie?_

S- _Sounds__just__about__perfect.__I__wasn't__really__in__the__mood__to__go_out_-out__anyway.__What__for__food?_

E- _Up__to__you.__We__can__decide__later._

S-_Pizza.__I'm__easy__like__that.__Pepperoni__and__extra__cheese.__Sound__good?_

E- _Great,__I'll__order__it__when__I__leave__to__pick__you__up__at__five__thirty__so__it's__ready__on__the__way__here.__Umm...__I__just__realized__I__don't__know__where__you__live._

She texted me her address and said she had to get to work, so I closed my phone and attached it to the charger. I called Pam into the kitchen and told her she needed to help me neaten up her pig-sty in the living room. I went to work on my room. I went all out. I'm by no means a slob, but I'm no neat freak either. I put the laundry in the hamper and changed my sheets and made my bed. I was set if the movies were bad and we needed something else to kill time. Even if not, it always feels good to sleep on fresh sheets. Since Pam had basically been living in front of the TV this summer, there was a lot more to do in the living room, so I went to help her.

I was nervous as hell about picking up Sookie. I could probably handle her Mom, but her Dad and Jason worried me. I made my lunch and killed time until I had to get ready, drive Pam to her slumber party and still pick Sookie up on time. After dropping off Pam, I called in the order and pulled up to a house that looked newer, but similar to her grandmother's house. I saw her car, a faded green truck, the black truck with the pink and aqua swirls, and a red station wagon. Looked like everyone was home. Yeah, that would be a cold sweat on my forehead and neck.

I didn't really dress up since we'd be spending the evening on my couch, but I did want to look nice. I made due with some dark jeans and a plain red t-shirt. I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans before I knocked on the door. I beautiful older woman with blond hair and brown eyes answered. She was older I could tell immediately from her features that she was Sookie's mom. I introduced myself and offered my hand. She bypassed that and gave me a hug, temporarily stunning me. She told me to call her Michelle and led me into the house.

An older man with dark hair and the same blue eyes that I loved was sitting on the couch. He stood when I entered. "I'm Corbett. Hope ya don't mind if I skip the whole hugging thing my wife is so fond of," he said and offered me his hand. Shaking it gratefully, I re-introduced myself. Michelle said that Sookie was still getting ready and offered me something to drink, which I turned down. I had sat in the chair opposite the couch and made small talk about the upcoming football season with Corbett. I still hadn't seen Jason and was honestly relieved.

Sookie came down the stairs in one of the sundresses that I hadn't seen yet and was temporarily speechless. Michelle smiled at my reaction and asked about our plans. Sookie spoke up before I could answer. "I think we're going to get some pizza then watch a movie." Talk about telling the truth in a dishonest way. I don't think I'd ever seen a skill like that.

"Sook, can you bring your date in here for a sec," a deep voice called from the back of the house. Shit. I was assuming that would be Jason.

Sookie rolled her eyes, but took my hand and led me through the kitchen onto a little screened-in deck. Jason was about six-one and had the same blond hair and blue eyes as his sister, but a less pleasant expression was on his face. "What are you planning on doing with my sister?" he asked, looking up at me slightly.

"For God's sake, Jason. Daddy just spent the past ten minutes questioning him. He doesn't need it from you, too," she said from my side.

"Daddy questioned him about _football_. My question is more important."

"Jason, we're getting some food and going to watch a movie. That's it. Nothing seedy, sordid, or dangerous. Stop." She was shooting him her pissed off glare and I remembered from the past that that was not a pleasant experience.

He closed the gap between us and narrowed his eyes. "Anything happens to her on your watch and you are gonna get all kinds of fucked up. Got me?"

"Jason, shut up." She put her hand on his chest and pushed him back. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." She looked up at me. "Let's get out of here."

I felt like a pussy not speaking up for myself, but I wasn't really given the chance. I followed Sookie back through the house and said good night to her parents. When we got to the car, I opened the passenger door for her and went around to the driver's side. After I got in, I just looked at her.

"Sorry about all that. I would have met you, but I had a table that wouldn't leave and I wanted to get the smell of grease off me. Did everything go okay before I came downstairs?"

I started the car and pulled out onto the road. "Your parents are great. But I could have handled your brother. I _can_ speak for myself."

"Yeah... I tend to go off when Jason pulls the overprotective shit. He hasn't gotten used to the fact that I'm not twelve anymore. Plus, I know my _darling_ brother. He would have taken anything you said and twisted it." She gave me a shy smile. "I took the most efficient route to shut him up so we could leave. Next time, I'll let you deal with him."

"So there's going to be a next time?" I asked with a smirk.

She gave me a smirk of her own. "You're still here, right? I'm here, heading to your empty house. I can't see why there _wouldn't_ be another date. Unless I'm misreading things..." She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Nope, just making sure we're on the same page."

**SPOV**

Eric pulled up to his house and opened the garage. He led me in and gave me a quick tour: kitchen, living room, and various other rooms before grabbing plates for the pizza and a couple of sodas in the kitchen. Taking our meals to the living room, I just stared at the massive entertainment center and a TV that was probably bigger than my bed. Eric noticed.

"Umm, yeah. My dad got that earlier this year. Pam's really the only one who uses it. I'm never home, he's always away on some kind of business, and Mom tends to sleep when she's not at the hospital. Let's see what's coming on and see if we can agree on something."

He grabbed the remote and pulled up the pay per view movies. I pointed out the latest "Fast and the Furious" movie and he shook his head. "That Diesel guy looks like my coach. He creeps me out." I snickered as he scrolled through some more movies. We eventually decided on the X-Men prequel because I had been forced by Jason to watch the previous three movies, so I had a basic idea of who the characters were.

Once the movie started, Eric dimmed the lights. We continued eating through a couple of trailers and the first few minutes of the movie. When we fished the pizza, he hit pause and took the empty plates into the kitchen. When he returned to his seat, he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side. I tucked my legs under me and rested my head on his shoulder. Why did this feel so normal and just... right? I decided not to worry about it right then.

The movie actually held out attention so there was no mad make-out session on the couch or anything. A few kisses, some slightly wandering hands, but everything stayed perfectly innocent. When the movie ended, Eric looked down at me. "Do you want to watch something else?"

I checked my watch. I had _plenty_ of time before I had to be home. "If we can find something we can agree on."

"We have, like forty movie channels. I'm sure we can find something. I have my own setup in my room. We could stretch out back there, have a little more room..." he trailed off, shrugging.

I looked down the huge freaking couch, wondering for just a second why there wasn't enough room there before I felt like slapping my forehead and saying "Duh." Coming to that realization, and honestly wondering what his room looked like, I agreed.

He led me back to his room. It was the size of two of mine. He had a huge bed dominating the wall opposite the door. Against the wall past the foot of the bed was another entertainment center, with a normal sized TV, but so many extra boxes, I was amazed he could keep track of what controlled what. I recognized the game consoles from Jason's collection of the same. I assumed the rest were fancy things that I would have no use for in my house.

"I should probably plug my clock back in and set it so I can get you home before your curfew," he said, fiddling with a box on his nightstand. After several button presses and consulting my watch, he got it set to the right time and patted the bed next to him. "What are we looking for?"

I scooted next to him and put my head on his shoulder again. What? It was really comfortable! He turned the TV on and started scrolling through the movie channels. He paused on "Blue Crush", but I wrinkled my nose. He moved on. He settled on some random adventure movie and turned on his side to look at me. I met his gaze. "What are we doing here, Sook? This is more than just some casual fling, and you know it."

Shit. I wasn't ready to get into this. I knew he was right, but I didn't want to admit it yet, not even really to myself. Shit. Shit. Shit. I knew he was waiting for me to respond. "Eric, I really like what we have here. Do we have to define it? Why can't we just let it be?"

"What about when school starts? Are we going be strangers during the day, maybe saying hi in the halls and then getting together when no one can see us? I want everyone to know that you're mine. I don't want random assholes like Bill and Alcide thinking you're up for grabs."

I raised my eyebrows. "Yours? Excuse me? I don't _belong_ to anyone. Like I told Jason, I can take care of myself. If anyone tries anything with me that I don't want, I'll take care of it on my own." I sat up and looked down at him, wishing he had just stayed quiet and started kissing me.

"Sookie, we've been doing this... _whatever_ for a month, and it's been great. But I want more, and I know that you do too. I want to be able to introduce you as my girlfriend and take you out and walk you through the halls. All the privileges that a regular boyfriend has."

I kept from sighing, but just barely. "That's not what I want. I want to do my thing and you can do your thing. You know how much shit I'm going to be dealing with this year? Drama, newspaper, dance, and job, not to mention regular classes and the SATS and all that shit. I'm gonna be lucky to find time to sleep sometimes. Honestly, I can't handle the pressure of a relationship on top of everything else. That's why I wanted to keep this casual. We can see each other when our schedules work out, but there's no pressure to be up each others asses all the time." I thought it was a good, well thought out argument.

Eric sat up across from me, looking pissed. "Well sorry you seem to think I'm 'up your ass'. How about we just cool this thing off and go back to how things used to be. You can ignore my existence and I'll never turn my head in your direction if that will make things easier for you. I have a lot of shit to deal with this year too, but I wanted to share it with you, maybe help you handle some of the pressure. But that's too much for you? I'm fine with that. I should probably get you home."

He shot off the bed and opened his door, waiting for me to get off the bed. I stood slowly, trying to keep my breathing even. I hadn't expected this when I came over. If this was so fucking casual to me, why did I want to cry over what felt like a break-up?

**EPOV**

I couldn't believe it. I was completely blindsided. And I was pissed. I silently led Sookie back to my car, listening her her breaths growing increasingly shakier. I got in the driver's seat and waited for her to get in the car. As soon as her door closed, I backed out of the driveway and flew as fast as I could back to her house. We didn't say a word during the entire trip. I couldn't believe that I had let her in so deeply, actually wanted to commit to someone for the first time, and she just shit all over it. When I pulled into her driveway, I just stared down at the steering wheel, waiting for her to get out. I was so angry that I couldn't see straight and it probably wasn't safe to drive in the mood I was in. As soon as I heard her door close, I just backed out and took off. I didn't want to go home, but I didn't know where else to go. I wanted to cry, hit someone, just keep driving until I ran out of gas. I ended up driving to the beach, parking, and stewing until I ended up passing out asleep.

**A/N:****Yeah,****I****hadn't****planned****on****this****when****I****put****them****in****a****bed****together,****but****it****made****sense.****I'm****kinda****scared****that****I'm****gonna****get****lynched,****but****before****you****light****the****torches****and****grab****the****nearest****pitchfork,****I'm****letting****you****know...****things****are**_**FAR**_**from****over****here.****Again,****Sookie****is****new****to****this****whole****world****of****boys****and****doesn't****really****know****what****she****wants.****She****needs****some****time****to****figure****it****out,****and****this****is****the****shove****in****that****direction.****Again,****thanks****a****TON****for****all****the****alert****notices****that****have****flooded****my****mailbox****and****especially****for****the****reviews.****Offer****stands,****teasers****for****reviews.****If****you****don't****want****it,****let****me****know****in****the****review.****You****guys****not****only****met,****but****exceeded****my****goal****and****I****did****a****little****happy****dance****with****each****one.****If****you****guys****get****me****to****400,****I'll****think****of****a****special****treat****for****ya.****I****love****you****ALL!****MMWWWAAHHHH!******runs****to****hide****from****the****mob,****making****sure****she****has****lots****of****tissues****


	19. Outtake 1

**A/N: So. I promised a treat if I got to over 400 reviews with the last chapter and boy, did you guys deliver. I saw the count last night before bed and did a little mental happy dance since I was about ¾ asleep. And guess what my happy little brain dreamed up. We have here the celebration for Sookie getting onto the dance squad (between chapters 17 and 18), the reason for her goofy grin, and why she wasn't at Merlotte's when Jason was looking for her. In case you're wondering, playlist for this outtake is "#1 Crush" by Garbage. AWESOME song, but couldn't really figure out a way to work the title into the story. I don't own the characters, but I am making them act like bunnies, and I don't mean hopping or munching carrots. Oh yeah, I should probably add a great big NSFW right here, just in case. No story at all, just the deliciousness of pure citrus.**

**SPOV**

I hopped in Eric's car and we zoomed out of the diner parking lot. I knew there were at least two people inside looking unhappy at the sheer glee on our faces, but I didn't give a damn. I had no idea where we were going or what we were going to do... but I knew where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do for him.

We drove out to Daddy's cabin. It had become our special spot. I loved the dark field and the way the moon and stars reflected on the water like it was a ripply mirror. He cut the engine and leaned over to kiss me and I couldn't hold back the sigh caused by how fucking awesome his lips felt on mine. I felt the little rumble of a growl in his chest and wanted to cheer. He had more experience than I did, but damn if I wasn't able to hold my own with him. The Camero was nice, but not exactly known for its roomy seats. The time came where we just needed more room. He pulled the quilt out of his trunk and spread it out while I adjusted the little clothes I was wearing and caught my breath.

I knew I could hook up my I-pod to his car stereo and I wanted to give him a little show. We had danced together at the beach, and he had seen my tryout earlier, but I wanted to give him his own private lap dance. I connected my I-pod to the jack in his car and cranked the volume. Finding the song I wanted, I hit pause and flashed his headlights to get his attention.

I came over and I told him to sit on the hood. The headlights of his car were like spotlights and I swallowed the little bit of nervousness I had. I hit play and the first thing coming out of the speakers were erotic moans. Yeah, I think I picked the right song for this. Moaning, heavy drums and slow, sensual vocals. I stood in front of Eric and tried to steady myself. I had never done, or even tried this before, so I was going to have to go on instinct here.

I swayed my hips to the beat with my eyes closed. I ran my hands up my sides and through my hair until they were over my head. The song started slow and built up gradually. No need to force it. When the first chorus started, I whipped off the button down I had been wearing over my sports bra and tossed it at him. I chanced a glance through my lashes and he looked spellbound. Definitely better than bored.

The beats got heavier and faster. My moves got faster, my head whipping my hair around. I moved to get closer to him, sitting stock still, barely blinking. Keeping my hips moving slowly, I reached forward and ran my fingers through his silky blond hair and down his neck, over his shoulders, and stopped at his chest. Tugging on his shirt, I pulled him forward until his feet rested on the ground instead of his bumper. I used him for balance as I dipped and slithered against his long, lean body. My back to his chest, I slowly slid down his body, running my hands down his sides this time. I could feel his excitement against my ass, then spine as I lowered myself in front of him.

As the song was finishing, it slowed down again and I backed away, slowing back down to just dancing again, but dancing only for him. Once the song ended and another one started, I approached him slowly. "Did you like that?"

I asked, weirdly feeling shy about the little performance I had just given him.

**EPOV**

I was in heaven. Or was this hell? Either way, I had an absolute goddess in front of me, moving that sinful, beautiful body for me to one of the sexiest songs I had ever heard and I didn't want to miss a single second of it. I knew I was in for something good when she told me to sit on my hood and I could see that she had hooked up her I-pod to my stereo. I had no idea what she was thinking of doing, but I hadn't had a problem with a single one of her ideas before and knew I'd probably like this one as well.

When she started moving, it took me back to her earlier statement: that I got to see her dance moves when she was naked and thought it would be too much to hope for. She only got rid of her button down shirt while she was dancing, but that was enough. I wasn't paying attention to what she was or wasn't wearing; all I saw was how she moved.

When she started touching me, running her hands through my hair and working those nimble, naughty fingers down to my chest, it was work to keep my eyes from rolling back in my head and keep them focused on her. That was a lost cause once she started rubbing her amazing ass against me and, there was no other word for it, _slithering_ against me. I couldn't see anything anymore, could only feel her hands and body all over me. When the music slowed down and she moved away to finish her dance, I almost wanted to weep.

But when she shyly asked if I had liked it, I didn't have enough blood left in my head to form words. I grabbed her and pulled her to me, to let her feel how I had liked it. I had danced with other girls, even had them try to do the whole dirty, bump-n-grind thing, and not a single one of them had affected me the way this little blond "nobody" just had. I dipped my head and kissed her hard, not wanted to be parted from her warmth until I absolutely had to be.

She clasped her hands behind my neck and returned the kiss with equal passion until she was wrapped around me. Her legs were locked around my waist and I supported her butt as I carried her over to the quilt, never releasing her mouth from mine. Despite the fact that her dad and brother used the area for fishing, this was _our_ spot now. I sat down on the quilt and she unlocked her legs to straddle my lap, though I refused to let go of her ass. I kneaded and caressed, savoring the feel of her supple flesh under my fingertips. My hands fit easily under her tiny shorts and panties, so there was no barrier between my skin and hers.

She ground her hips, making me moan into her mouth. She slid her lips to my neck and licked, nipped and sucked and the tender skin until we were both panting. Her hands snuck under my t-shirt and she grazed my sides and chest with her fingernails, giving me goosebumps. I shivered and she lifted the fabric from my body, tossing it in the direction of the car where her own shirt had been discarded on the ground. I took the opportunity to remove her bra so I could worship the most perfect breasts I had ever seen. Ever.

I wanted to thank her for her performance properly. I flipped us over, so I hovered over her, seeing her dark blue eyes hazy with lust. I ducked down and nipped at her neck, her earlobes, her lips before working myself lower. Her nipples were hard and tight, and I couldn't resist latching on and sucking them into my eager mouth. My teeth, tongue, and lips raked over those pink buds and I heard her softly moaning my name, felt her tangling her hands in my hair to keep me from moving. But I had a more pleasurable destination in mind. I kissed and licked my way down her abdomen slowly, using the time to work her out of the shorts and panties blocking my intended path. She lifted her butt to assist me in my venture, and giggled, feeling my smile against her skin.

I sank lower and blew a breath over her center, seeing the downy blond hair glistening. She shivered and moaned my name again, louder than before. I peppered her thighs with wet kisses, purposely avoiding the area where she wanted me the most. I nipped at her hip and whispered into her hip, "Tell me what you want, _Susannah_," emphasizing her name. Her moans were taking a whiny edge.

"Please, Eric, I want your mouth on me."

I smiled again against her hip. "My mouth is already on you," I whispered, kissing her leg.

She groaned with frustration. "Smartass. I want you to fuck me with your tongue and fingers until your name is echoing off the fucking cliffs!"

Well you couldn't get much more specific than that and I aimed to please. I ran my tongue slowly through her lowers lips and paused to take in her taste. Still like fucking peaches. I didn't know how she did it. I groaned against her clit and she writhed from the vibrations. That felt good. I lapped at her again and again, humming softly every time I reached her nub and thoroughly enjoyed her breathy cries and whimpers. I stiffened my tongue and pushed it into her pussy and felt her tighten around it. I replaced my tongue with two fingers and latched onto her clit, sucking and flicking it. I found the sweet spot inside her and showed it no mercy. I felt her walls fluttering and suddenly, my fingers were locked inside her as she stiffened, her thigh muscles shook, her back arched, and her cry of "GOD, ERRIIICC, FUCK" was, indeed, echoing off the cliffs surrounding the lake.

I let her ride out her orgasm on my hand. When her walls relaxed enough for me to withdraw my fingers, I pulled them out slowly and licked them clean, still marveling over her taste. I kissed my way up her body to kiss her mouth. Her tongue eagerly plunged between my lips, seeking out mine. I knew she could taste herself on me and I could tell she didn't care. "I want you inside me, Eric," she mumbled.

"I don't have anything, do you?" I groaned into her neck. I wanted more than anything to fuck her speechless, but I was forgetting my Boy Scout teachings.

"I'm on the shot, have been for months. I'm clean. Are you?"

It never crossed my mind to be offended in the slightest. "Just had my physical. Clean as can be."

"Then what the fuck are you waiting for?"

My cock was so hard I could feel my heartbeat pulsing through it and could only imagine how awesome she would feel without that latex barrier between us. I pulled my shorts down as fast as I could and pushed into her, both of us moaning at the sensation. She was so hot and wet and tight, ugh. I had to calm myself down, or I wasn't going to be able to last long enough to get her off again. I seeing her come undone under me (or on top of me) was one of life's pleasures and I fully intended to make it happen.

I took her hands and pinned them above her head. She lifted her hips so her ass was on my hips and her legs locked around my waist. At that angle, I could feel her over every inch of my dick and it was an incredible feeling. I started out slowly, just wanting to enjoy the feel of her. She was an active participant, meeting each thrust and rolling her hips once I was all the way inside her. I swear to God, the woman was made just for me.

I wanted to feel her from a different angle before I completely lost it. I pulled out and chuckled at her groan of displeasure. "Hands and knees, lover," I growled into her ear and released her hands. She scrambled to get herself into position and looked over her shoulder at me, biting her lower lip so adorably. I grasped her hips, hips that had so enchanted me earlier with the way they twisted and swayed, and plunged into her again. Her back arched immediately and she cried out. I felt her tighten around me and it felt incredible. I knew at this angle, I would be able to hit her g-spot with every thrust. My hips slammed into her ass with abandon and her pants, cries, and shrieks of pleasure continued to echo. I felt myself swelling inside her and right before I lost it, her pussy clenched down on me I could feel her shaking. I couldn't hold back any longer and held her hips tightly as I released inside her, my voice bellowing her name adding to the echos.

She sank to her stomach with me inside of her. Her walls were still quivering around me and I let her come down from the aftershocks. He body was glistening with sweat in the moonlight. The length of my body allowed me to kiss and lick her neck as she panted. I pulled out when I felt her finally relax and reclined at her side. She curled up against me, her head on my chest and her arm draped across my stomach. As her breathing regulated, she tilted her head and kissed my shoulder. "You should know that was the most amazing orgasm that I have ever had," she whispered.

I couldn't help but feel manly pride after a comment like that. I kissed the top of her head. "That's just the tip of the iceberg. I have skills you can't even imagine," I said lightly.

"I can imagine. I look forward to giving you the chance of perfecting those skills, cowboy. But you should probably get me back to my car. I have to get some rest before our _date_ tomorrow night. Which I'm looking forward to, by the way."

"Me too. Let's go."

We dressed in comfortable silence and I dropped her off at her car in the Merlotte's parking lot. She leaned in and kissed me fiercely before hopping out of my car and into hers. I couldn't wait for our date night.

**A/N: So there we have it. Anyone disappointed? This was just a little outtake as a gift for all you wonderful readers who got me to my goal. There are really no words. This was a silly little idea that came to me over Labor Day weekend and had a whole life of it's own. I should warn you, since there was some drama (NOT angst) in the last chapter, these may be the last taste of lemons you get for a little while. Savor them. Enjoy them. Review them. Yeah, I'm as subtle as a sledgehammer.**


	20. Chapter 19

**A/N: So, we return to present day where Sookie is home after Eric dropped her off. He was not thrilled with her wanting to stay casual. To put it lightly. So, umm, here's where they are now. Sookie got some mad hate in the reviews. She's learning. It's a process. Hope you enjoy. Charlaine Harris owns 'em. I'm just making 'em dance and play video games.**

**SPOV**

Jason was waiting up for me after Eric unceremoniously dropped me off. Had I really expected anything less? Sometimes it sucks that he knows me so well. He took one look at my face and followed me to my room. He closed the door behind him and sat on my bed. "What happened?" he asked.

I motioned for him to turn around so I could change. Once I couldn't see his face, I took off my sundress and changed into pajamas, using the time to tell him about the night. How I had told Eric from the start that I hadn't wanted anything serious. How I just wanted to hang out with him when I could and enjoy his company. I didn't tell him about the sex; I'm not _that_ stupid.

Once I was dressed, I told him he could turn around. I told him how Eric had wanted more and it had become an "all or nothing" situation for him. I flopped down on my bed and stared at the ceiling.

"I don't want it all. I'm probably going to have to drop out of drama as it is to keep up with everything else. He knew this from the freaking start. Why the hell couldn't he let things be?"

Jason looked at me, bewildered. "You really _are_ my sister, aren't you? You got this generation's version of, well, _me_, to want to commit and you blew him off? Part of me wants to applaud; the other part wants to smack you upside your head. Sook, you just entered the dating world and I'm worried that I've influenced you too much. Now, I don't go for that garbage Mom throws out about you needing a boyfriend. Dating is fun. You can see who you want when you want.

"But when you spend a lot of time exclusively with one person, they tend to get expectations. That's partly why I never stay with one girl for too long. And I get where you're coming from. Playing the field is the way to go for some people. But sis, the big, bad truth is that the double standard is still out there. If I were a girl and lived my life the way I do, I'd be pegged as a slut by everyone. Hell, I probably am anyway. Did you ever give Eric any reason to think you would want to get into a relationship?"

"Hell no! I told him up front and at the start that I wanted things to stay casual. I did the boyfriend thing with Rasul. There were upsides, but I hated having to clear any plans I wanted to make with a third party. I like having my time and doing what I want. He _knew_ that from the beginning. And all of a sudden, that wasn't good enough. He said he wanted all the privileges a regular boyfriend would have once school starts."

Jason's expression changed to thoughtful. "Well, that's a little different. You guys don't really run in the same circles, right? I doubt school has changed much in the past three or four years. I was where Eric is now. With you making the dance squad, you're going to have more contact with his group of friends than before. This is how it was: the only way he's going to be able to keep other guys away from you is by being able to call you 'his'. If you're with him, they would be hands-off. But you'd be free game if you're 'just friends'. You already had to deal with Bill. Can you imagine that, to maybe a lesser degree, from all the guys he runs with?"

I huffed, frustrated. "That was sort of his explanation too. Why can't you guys understand that I can handle myself? If someone tries something with me that I don't want, I'm not some fucking damsel in distress that needs the big, strong prince to come rescue her! You think I can grow up with _you_ and not learn a few things?"

He chuckled. "I guess you're right about that. So what? Is this thing with Northman over for good?"

I sighed and flopped on my back again. "I don't know. He sure made it seem that way when he dropped me off. But you know what? I'm not going to worry about it until I absolutely have to. Who knows? Maybe between the paper, dance, work, homework, and SAT prep, I won't even have time to think about him. If that's the case, I'm probably better off, right?" I looked up at him hopefully.

He shrugged. "I don't have any idea. I'll ask at the end of September. If you can say 'Eric who?', we'll have the answer. I'm gonna turn in. Get some rest and I'll see ya in the morning. You're off tomorrow, right?"

"Yep, and I plan on sleeping as late as I can. Good night." Jason flipped my light off as he left and I turned to lay on my pillows. I didn't expect to fall asleep as easily as I did, but talking with my brother has helped me figure out where my head was, and that let me slip easily into unconsciousness.

**EPOV**

I woke up to a knocking on my window from some guy in a tan uniform. I groggily rolled my window down. "No overnight parking. You need to go," he said in heavily accented English. The horizon was just turning light orange. Fuck.

I apologized to the guy and pulled away. The clock on my dash told me it was around five thirty. I hit the first open convenience store and got a large coffee. I normally never drank the stuff, but I wanted to make it home in one piece and needed to wake up. I made my way back to the house, taking sips from the foam cup, and ended up pulling into the driveway right before my mom. She gave me a tired version of the stink eye, but made no comment. We made our way into the house silently and went to our respective rooms.

I flopped down on my bed, replaying the previous night. I was still pissed, but the more I thought about what had happened, I came to the realization that it wasn't _entirely_ Sookie's fault. She had told me from the start that she didn't want a boyfriend. I had agreed to go along with her desire of something casual and undefined.

We had been together so exclusively for the past month, I had thought it was merely her stubbornness that kept her from moving onto the next step. But no, apparently the idea of being my girlfriend was fucking _offensive_ to her. She didn't want to socialize or be together in public.

What had she _really_ been doing on the nights that we hadn't been together. She still seemed pretty friendly with that fucker Sam when he was waiting tables at Merlotte's. It didn't seem that they had only been on one date, and that one a disaster. And was that Alcide guy still with his girlfriend? Would it matter?

I shook my head, knowing that my drowsy head was going places it shouldn't. Sookie wasn't devious or manipulative. She would have told me if there had been anyone else. She wasn't the type to sneak around. I was mind fucking myself over her.

She said that she was going to be busy this year. I got that and understood, even if I didn't carry the same insane load of activities that she did. Junior year is stressful because that's the one that colleges usually look at for admissions. But my senior year was going to be that way since I was counting on an athletic scholarship to get into college. Scouts had been out to see me, but were waiting until this year to make any offers.

It still couldn't help ease the burn of the dismissal that I had received the night before. I had never experienced being told "no" before. Was this what the girls I'd played with for the past two years had experienced. The emptiness caused by rejection? It hurt even more because I had opened up to Sookie, gave her parts of me that no one else had ever had. Her disregard of _that_ was what burned the most.

But I couldn't deny that I would have jumped on her and kissed her if she were to walk in at that moment. I didn't know what to do with myself without her. I settled back and waited for the day to pass. At least I had practice to occupy me for the two weeks until school started.

**SPOV**

Sunday was heaven. I woke up slightly before noon and made myself a BLT from breakfast leftovers. I took a drive to see Gran and get her tales from the week-long DoGD field trip. I went to tell Tara about the developments of the weekend, both good and bad and decided to talk our talk to the beach.

She hopped in my car and we drove to the lake after changing into bathing suits. It was a little late in the afternoon to tan, but the warm sun on our skin was relaxing. I thanked her for her help in choreographing a routine that got me onto the dance squad. And I told her about the... well, I guess I had to call it a break-up, with Eric. I didn't know what else to call it, even though the definition wasn't entirely accurate.

"What was I supposed to do, T? We were casual. It was easy. No drama. And then he goes and demands some kind of definition of what we were and wanted 'boyfriend' privileges." I was laying on my back and turned my head to my left to check her reaction.

She turned her head toward me and raised her eyebrow skeptically. "What special privileges would a boyfriend have that he didn't have before last night?"

"Hell, I don't know. The ability to call himself my boyfriend and me his girlfriend? To hold my hand through the halls and meet me after school and shit like that."

"What's so bad with that? From what you told me Jason said..."

I groaned. "Not you too! It's not for my own damn good. Look, how did you know JB was right for you."

She chuckled. "Hon, JB's a sweetheart, but he's dumber than a box of hair. He lets me control the relationship. I get to do my dance classes and he can go out with Tray and Alc and do his thing. We see each other when we have the chance. But there's no pressure to be together _all__the__time_, ya know?"

I sat up on my elbows. "That's what I wanted. Exactly. He can do his thing and I can do mine and we get together whenever. But he's not used to not being in the driver's seat, ya know?"

"Sugar, you know you want more than that..."

I lifted my sunglasses and looked at her. "No. I really don't. A playmate. That's all I fucking wanted. Any other teenage boy would be fucking thrilled. Eric was the perfect guy for the job. No strings. No commitments. And fucking feelings had to get involved."

Tara's voice turned stern. "And you need to get over yourself. You wanted more than a fuck buddy, and no matter how many times you say it, it doesn't change the fact that you were falling hard for him if you hadn't already. And that scared the shit out of you. What is it going to do to you if he goes back to his man-whore ways after school starts? Is it not going to faze you or is it going to rip your fucking heart out? You need to answer _that_ before you decide where to go from here. Think about that. Think about seeing him walking down the hall with one of the cheerleaders or one of your teammates on the dance squad hanging off his arm and giggling. Are you going to swap books in your locker and go to class or are you going to have to restrain yourself from grabbing the bitch by her hair? I know you Sook, and you don't like to share."

I put my sunglasses back on. Damn her for knowing me so well. But that's because she's been my friend for so long. We laid on the sand for a little longer in silence while I let her words sink in. I just had to hope that what I was thinking would actually happen. That I would be to busy with everything to think about him. I could only hope.

I dropped her off and went back home. Mom and Daddy asked about my date since I hadn't seen them. I shot Jason a quick look and said I didn't know if I would be seeing Eric anymore. Mom looked sad, but Daddy just kind of shrugged and went on to talk to Jason about clearing some of the fields in the next few weeks.

I went up to bed and crashed, knowing I had a long day ahead of me. My regular shift and my first day of dance squad practice

**EPOV**

I was in hell. Years of keeping emotion out of my life had not allowed me to school my features into hiding what I felt. Fortunately, my predominant emotion was "pissed off". One look at my face during practice was enough to keep my teammates from bugging me. I met up with Max afterward and went to Merlotte's to eat.

I knew Sookie wouldn't be working since she had dance squad practice. I thought back a couple of nights to the private show she had given me, and I wanted to drive my fist through a wall. Things had been so good that night, and now everything was all fucked up.

I went into the pool room and froze. Bill and Clancy were already there, with Thalia sitting on Bill's lap. Despite how I felt about Sookie, I still loathed my former friend. He met my gaze with a cold smirk.

"She's not here if you're looking for her."

I shrugged. "I know. I'm not."

His smirk grew colder. "Tired of her already? I'm not surprised. I never figured she's be good for more than a time or two."

A red haze started. Who the fuck was he to say something like that about her. I felt my hands ball into fists and my jaw clench. I knew if I stood there any longer, I would seriously injure him in a way that couldn't be passed off as "falling". I turned and walked out to my car, not caring if any of my so-called friends followed me.

I drove around windy back roads listening to loud, aggressive rock. It didn't help. Pride wouldn't let me call her. But I wanted to. I just had to kill some time until school started and get lost in the activity to get her out of my head (because that worked _so_ well last time, right?). Two weeks. I just had to last two more weeks.

I usually left practice and picked up some food for myself and Pam on my way home. Having her there was a bit of a relief in the form of a distraction. She was a pain in the ass for the first few days, until she saw that the teasing me about Sookie was not the way to go. We would watch TV and eat our fast food. I would head to my room and play some video game, but I didn't put any effort into it. I would invite my sister to play with me, just for the companionship, needing some kind of competition. And damn if she wasn't good and would kick my ass so definitively that I had to wonder if she had been sneaking in and playing when I was gone.

The weeks passed until Labor Day arrived. Finally. School would start the day after. Since it would be the last day it was open officially, there was going to be an all-day beach party at the lake. As they always were, all ages were welcome and Pam wanted to go meet her friends. Dad was no where to be found, as usual, and Mom was at the hospital, also as usual. I really felt like staying home and moping, but I decided to take Pam and a few of her friends just to get out of the house.

**SPOV**

I was surprised by how much I thoroughly enjoyed the dance squad. We spent the first couple of days getting to know each other and our strengths and what we needed to work on. We also tried to get a list of songs we could dance to. We had six home games, so we needed six upbeat, but clean songs we could work on routines for. Everyone there had their I-pods out scrolling and we put together a tentative list. We had Black Eye Peas, Brittany Spears, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Beyonce were all represented and a few alternates. Halleigh approved all our selections and called us over to several huge cardboard boxes she had just lugged in.

"Now, you may or may not know, since we have some new team members, but we did get to the state championship last year and I think this team can go even further, if what I saw at the auditions was anything to go by. Because of that, our budget was doubled and I was able to get us a few new uniforms. I wanted to get your opinions." She opened the first box. Spandex royal blue sports-bra style tops and skirts that came to about mid thigh and seemed to be made of black fringe, with royal blue bloomers underneath (I swear to God that's what they were called. It wasn't some old fashioned term for underwear. They're meant to be shown, like under cheerleader skirts. Who knew?). She moved onto the second box. Black halter tops with built-in support and royal blue tap pants. The final box held long sleeved blue cropped tops and mid-calf black leggings, I guess for when the weather got colder. She got to the final box and tossed us all blue and black zip up hoodies with the school mascot (an eagle) on the front and our names on the back. I was impressed. We all also got black Nikes so we matched.

I had to say that being part of a team was nice. I didn't have to be _friends_ with everyone, but we all made it a point to at least work together so we made each other look good. I sat to the side chatting with one of the other new girls, Danielle, when Felicia, the captain, approached me with a smile just a few degrees shy of friendly. "So how are you liking the area so far?"

Seriously? I was getting sick of this. "I've lived here my whole life. I like it just fine."

She tilted her head, confused. "Were you home schooled?"

I pasted the smile on my face. "Nope, been going to this school since ninth grade."

"Oh! Right! I think I remember you now. You used to hang out with the hippies by the Fine Arts building, right?"

"With my friends, yeah. I'll be hanging out with them again this year too."

Her face filled with fake concern. "Oh, honey, I don't think that's wise. They say that one big guy is a drug dealer!"

She would know... Tray supplied just about every party she went to. "Who I'm friends with has no bearing on my performance. But thanks for letting me know you're concern. I'm sure Tray will get a kick out of that." She rolled her eyes and walked away. I rolled mine right back at her, only she had already turned.

We practiced every afternoon, so by Labor Day weekend, we felt almost prepared for the first game the following Friday. I was excited to do our thing, and we had voted on the fringed outfit for that first show. It worked out that the band would do their marching routine for the first seventeen minutes of halftime, and we got the last eight minutes. Timing was important.

I had gotten close with the newer girls who weren't so into the cliques. Danielle, Ginger, Belinda, and I decided to celebrate the last day before school by heading to the beach party. Tara had been invited also, but she was on an end-of-summer vacation with her family. I was glad I was expanding my social circle and getting to know new people. I was looking forward to the beach!

**A/N: yes, I'm the queen of meandering details, but they have a point in the big picture. This has gone WAY beyond where I originally imagined it. Yeah, Eric is a little sad, but at least there's no reconciliation with Bill on the horizon. I promise this has a lot to do with what's going to happen in the future. I would have put it here, but I'm already close to one of the longest chapters I've written and want to give the beach party proper attention. Again, all the favorite and alert notices rock my socks, but I thrive on reviews. As always, teasers if you want them, once I have them written. If you take what I gave for 400 reviews, what do you think I'll do for 500? You are all just so awesome! And this is NOT angst. It's drama. I promise.**


	21. Chapter 20

**A/N: So, in case it wasn't apparent last chapter, Tara has the unfortunate job of being Sookie's voice of reason. And, unfortunately, she's on vacation right now, so Sookie's... without reason. It becomes apparent later. I am setting the stage here for something big and something good, so just go with me on this. I already have most of the next chapter in my head. All opinions of Jimmy Buffett are mine and mine alone. Charlaine Harris owns each and every one of the characters, I'm just making them have temper tantrums.**

**SPOV**

Labor Day started out gray and hazy and gave me very little hope for how the evening would turn out. But by mid-morning, the clouds had blown over and the haze had burned off. It still felt like summer, since it was only the beginning of September. We wouldn't feel fall temperatures until mid to late October. I was glad. I was always happier in the heat of summer.

My mom had gotten to indulge her living Barbie doll fantasies when she took me shopping for new school clothes. I liked the new stuff; I _hated_ shopping for it. The mall was one of my least favorite places to spend time. I much preferred to be outside actually _doing_ something. Even if that something was nothing more than deepening my tan.

Daddy and Jason had similar reactions when I brought out my uniforms for the dance squad. Daddy was silent in his disapproval over how much skin would be shown; Jason was much more vocal.

"Is it necessary to flash that much flesh to keep the crowd engaged during halftime? Damn, I though the outfits were risque when _I_ was there. Those girls would look like they were dressed for the frozen north next to the shit they have you wearing! Is the coach insane?" He continued in a similar vein until I finally got him to realize that I had no choice and had to wear the outfits and he would just have to deal with it. I actually liked the uniforms, but didn't feel the need to mention that.

I lived the closest to the lake, so I was the last one Ginger would be picking up when we went to the beach party. I smiled when her white VW Bug pulled into the driveway. I shouted my goodbyes to my folks before I ran to jump into her car. I have to say, that thing is much roomier than it looks. I said hi to Belinda and Danielle as well as Ginger once I squeezed into the back seat. We started talking a blue streak about what we wanted to do. It would be nice to have a chance to dance without being regimented.

When she pulled into the lot, my breath caught at the sight of the familiar, shiny red Camero. Fuck. It had been over two weeks since I had seen or talked to Eric, but that didn't mean he hadn't been on my mind. My days consisted of getting up, going to work, going to practice, and going home. The combination of waiting tables and working on incredibly detailed, intense dances wore me the fuck out. I usually came home, ate dinner, and went to sleep. I only had Labor Day off because Senior wanted me to have a free day before school started.

I had a lot of confusion where Eric was concerned, thanks to Jason and Tara. And my own damn mind was confused enough without them talking to me and making sense. I liked him. A lot. I could admit that. I couldn't have spent the amount of time I had with him if I didn't. I couldn't have done the things I had done with him, as many times as I had, if I hadn't more than just liked him. And I was mad as hell at myself for more than liking him. That wasn't part of what I wanted. Right? Danielle happened to interrupt my thoughts by following my gaze. "Oh! Who owns the flashy car? Someone compensating for something?" she asked with a little giggle.

I responded with a little half-hearted giggle of my own, but didn't answer her questions. God knew that Eric had _nothing_ to compensate for. He was here. What would happen if we ran into each other? I wanted to see him. Bad. No, I wanted to jump on him and drag him into a dark part of the beach and do unmentionable, dirty things with him. But I wasn't going to. He had made his decision.

I followed the girls down to the crowded beach. Some band I wasn't familiar with was playing tonight, and they seemed to be big fans of Jimmy Buffet (No offense to all the Parrot Heads out there, but uuugh! You can only hear "Margaritaville" and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" only so many times before you go homicidal on the band). Since it was late-ish and I hadn't eaten before leaving the house, I went to the concession stand and ordered some fries to munch on to keep my stomach from making embarrassing noises. I turned and I saw him. His hair had gotten lighter since the beginning of the summer, I guess from the practices. I hadn't noticed before. It was just a few shades shy of platinum. His arms, from what I could see, were darker too. I just knew if he turned toward me, the blue of his eyes would blaze against his tan like tiny flames. I slowly edged back into the crowd, not wanting him to see me.

**EPOV**

These things bored the shit out of me. I hated fucking Jimmy Buffet. I hated the overprice crap food they sold at the concession stand. I hated that I had forgotten my towel to sit on and there was nowhere to just get away from the crowd. And I didn't particularly care for the fact that the first friend Pam ran to meet was a skinny, kind of nerdy looking _boy_ who greeted her with a hug. She wandered off, holding his hand, with some of her other friends. What the fuck was that? That little shit had no business touching my baby sister. I turned to follow them and saw a blond ponytail bobbing into the crowd. I paused, but decided not to follow. She didn't like going to these parties; she'd told me as much. Even if by some off chance that it _was_ her, I was pretty damn sure she didn't want to see me. She had made that abundantly clear two weeks ago.

I lingered on the edge of the crowd, trying to keep an eye on Pam. A pretty brunette approached me. She looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I recognized her from. "You look kind of lonely, Stretch. Want some help with that?"

"What kind of help you offering?" I asked, flirtatiousness in my voice. Hell, I was single and unattached, even if it wasn't by my choice.

"Oh, I have my ways. But I don't want to share them with the crowd here. Let's find somewhere a little more private, huh?" Her voice had a teasing lilt to it. The words were right, but the voice wasn't. She led me to a dark corner of the beach, away from the flood lights around the stage. When she stood on her toes to kiss me, more than the voice was wrong. She was too tall, too skinny, and tasted just... off.

I broke away from her. "What's your name?" I asked, to keep her from kissing me again.

"Yvetta. I went to prom with your friend Bill. You don't remember me? Cuz I definitely remember you.," she purred with a soft giggle, trailing her fingers down my chest.

Uugh. The _last_ thing I wanted was that fucker's leftovers. I lifted her hand from my body, trying to hide my revulsion. "You seem nice, but you're not really my type."

She smirked. "Honey, from what I've heard, _female_ is your type. I'm pretty damn sure the princess over there wasn't taking care of you. Otherwise, she wouldn't be staring daggers at us right now, would she?"

**SPOV**

I managed to escape his notice. I wandered around, trying to find my friends in the huge crowd. I came across Pam dancing with a tall, lanky kid that had the geeky charm thing going. She froze when she saw me. She leaned in, whispered something to her dance partner, and stalked toward me.

"What the fuck did you do to break my brother?" she demanded when she was right in front of me. Her eyes, a darker shade of blue than Eric's, were blazing, even in the dim light of the early evening.

What did she mean, I had "broken" Eric? "I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, trying tho keep my voice calm. She was younger than me, but slightly taller and I could see she had a temper. I had a feeling it was about to be unleashed all over me.

I was right. She got right up in my face. "He comes with you to one of these things and he can't stop obsessing over you. He makes me call around to get your number. He takes you on dates, although what he was doing with you before doesn't take a fucking rocket scientist to figure out. And all of a sudden, he's spending his free time with me. Playing fucking video games. And I can't even tease him about it because it's too fucking sad. _YOU_ did that to him and I want to know why!"

"Pam, if he wanted you to know, he would have told you. I don't feel like discussing my private business with you."

"Fuck that! He _never_ put the kind of effort into getting to know a girl like he did with you. He never had to before. And even after the chase was done and the challenge was gone, he still fucking wanted you! That's unheard of with him! And you broke him." Her voice had lowered to a hiss and I had to believe she was about to snap.

"Pam, I'm leaving to go meet up with my friends. If you want to know what's wrong with Eric, ask him, not me." I turned and hurried away from her, heading in the direction I had come from. I headed toward the edge of the crowd to catch my breath. Pam's temper was fearsome.

I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye and turned my head when I head a giggle coming from that same direction. It was dark, but there was no mistaking Eric's tall silhouette. There was also no mistaking the female wrapped around his body pawing at his chest and I felt like my own chest was being shredded.

I had no right to be mad. None. At all. Nope, I wasn't pissed as hell that some cheap little trick had her hands on Eric. In the dark. Doing all the things I wanted to do. And Eric sure didn't _seem_ fucking "broken". He seemed like he was doing just fine. He didn't waste anytime jumping right back in the fucking saddle. But I couldn't move. I couldn't stop looking at them and I know my face reflected the hurt I felt in my chest.

Eric straightened his spine so he was standing straight and met my gaze. He tilted his head looking at me and cocked that stupid eyebrow at me. I sucked in a deep breath and turned back into the crowd. I cut behind the stage, trying to find the most direct path back to the parking lot. I sank next to Ginger's car and started bawling. I felt pathetic. This was the other reason I hadn't wanted to start anything serious. Part of me had just known that I wouldn't be enough for him. It had only been a matter of time.

Tara had been right. It wasn't _just_ his feelings that made this whole casual thing messy. Mine were getting in the way too. Feelings I didn't even realize that I had until too late. But I was a Stackhouse. Pride and stubbornness were part of our DNA. I would sit on the cool asphalt in misery before I begged him.

Ginger, Belinda, and Danielle found me next to the car. I wiped my cheeks and hopped in the car to go home. After all, the next day was the first day of school.

**EPOV**

I looked over Yvetta's shoulder and saw _her_. It was the first time I had seen her since I dropped her off at her house the night she decided that she didn't want me. And she looked just as amazing, if not a little better than I remembered her. She still had curves that made my mouth water, but just two weeks of the intense dance practices had toned her body just enough that my eye, which had seen each and every inch of Sookie Stackhouse, could see the difference.

She was still and staring at me with a look of utter anguish on her face. Part of me wanted to go to her and comfort her. The other part of me, the prideful part, wanted to say "fuck her" and go on my merry way, doing whatever and _who_ever I wanted. I folded my arms over my chest and gave her a look, wondering what she wanted to do.

Apparently she wanted to get away from me as fast as possible. She spun, shot into the crowd, and disappeared from my sight. Yvetta used the opportunity to try to kiss me again, but that was the last thing that I wanted. I gently but firmly pushed her off me, wishing she would get the fucking picture that I didn't want her. At all.

I found Pam, kissing the tall geek that she was hugging and holding hands with earlier. How the hell did I not know about this? I pulled him off her, much to her dismay. She tried to give me one of her infamous temper tantrums about how I was treating "Stan", but I nipped that in the bud. I allowed for no argument when I told her it was time for us to go and for her to round up the friends of her that had ridden with us.

I got everyone loaded into the car and dropped off safely before Pam and I arrived at home. She stormed into the house, refusing to speak to me because of how I had treated Stan. Her door slammed and I winced at the unexpected sharp sound that echoed in the empty hall. I made my way into my room and picked out my clothes for the next day and set my alarm. The first fucking day of school. I had never looked forward to it _less_.

**A/N: All kinds of new developments, huh? Pam has a boyfriend. Yvetta is still around (what, you thought she's go away after Bill took her to Prom? Silly humans!). And Sookie is jealous! I am quite aware that this is one of my shorter chapters, but it has a big purpose. It should become clear in the next chapter or two, depending on how carried away I get with the meandering details that I seem to love so much. There ARE good things coming, I swear! Patience is a virtue, so just remember that. And, since I think I forgot last chapter, thanks a ton for all the new alert and favorite notices. It amazes me that my little mind trip has gotten this kind of attention. And please show a little more love with reviews. They truly make my day.**


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N: So this is the LONGEST chapter I have ever written except for the Flipped Around epilogue. I wanted to get a lot of things in here without breaking to start a new chapter, so consider it two chapters in one. I'm not sure everyone will be on board with this, but rest assured, I have a plan. Missy Dee gets mucho thanks for talking me through blockage of the brain. I can only claim the errors, despite the numerous times I proofread. Charlaine owns them all; I'm just making them go through high school all over again.**

**EPOV**

First weeks of school are the same everywhere. Teacher introductions, class review, maybe an assessment quiz. Only the class name changes with the year. I knew that I'd have to do more than my usual bullshitting to keep my GPA up so that I would qualify for a scholarship, if I was offered one.

Classes weren't the only thing that stayed the same. Every clique had their hangouts and there was no way I was going by the Fine Arts building if I could help it. I was grateful, but not surprised, that Sookie hadn't started hanging out with Felicia and Heidi. I had seen her, from a distance, with a couple of new girls on the dance squad, but she never really deviated from her routine from last year.

Except at the end of the day. Instead of catching a ride home with a friend, she had her own car, and a parking pass due to her after school practices. Tuesday and Thursday, she'd run out to the lot and grab a blue and black duffel bag from her trunk and head into the gym. Wednesday, she hopped into her driver's seat and drove off, heading to work.

I knew she's be at school early on Friday. They had practice before classes to put the finishing touches and perfect the routine they would be performing during halftime that evening. I had heard from Heidi that the new uniforms they had for this year were "something else", but we would have to wait until the game to see them. Shit.

I wasn't over her, even though it pissed me off to no end that she had the ability to go through her day-to-day life without a thought about me. It had hurt her to see me with Yvetta at the beach party. That had been clear on her face. Pam, once she started speaking to me again, had mentioned "having words" with Sookie that night also. I tried to be mad at her for interfering, but I couldn't be, really. As much as she could bug me, I knew she loved me and would bring on anyone against me.

Our first game this season was a home game and I was looking forward to it. There was a high that came with being on the field that couldn't be replicated with any drug. The feeling of adrenaline pumping as you pushed yourself to win was indescribable. I thrived on it.

After classes were done, the team always went out to eat before a home game. There were four hours to kill before the game started. We'd head to one of the pizza places or sub shops around school and get whatever we wanted to hold us over until after the game. It was a good way to build camaraderie, spending down time with my teammates. It was a tradition I had grown to love. The restaurants were aware and if we gave them advance notice, they would actually close down so we had the whole place to ourselves.

I ordered my meatball sub and sat with Max and a new player, Preston. He had been on the JV team last year, but he was fast as hell and seemed to be a ball magnet. He never fumbled and the only time he didn't catch the ball was an error on the part of the quarterback. He had been promoted to the varsity team over the summer and I knew we would work well together. I didn't make errors. On the field, anyway.

**SPOV**

I dressed with care the first day, but for the first time, I wasn't excited about going back to school. I loved writing and looked forward to the paper. I hadn't seem Amelia, Holly, or the twins in about a month. I really liked the dance team and my job. But I just wasn't feeling it.

When I got to school, I found my nice, new parking spot, having filed the forms to get a parking pass once I made the dance squad. Tara and Amelia met me with hugs, but Holly was missing. Amelia said that she and Alcide had broken up. She had fallen for the brother of one of her softball teammates while at camp over the summer and said she had more in common with him than she did with Alc. Well damn. I could understand that, but it sucked that we wouldn't be hanging out anymore.

We went to our homerooms and got our locker assignments and class schedules. Everything was always the same during the first week. I was thrilled to see that Tara was in three of my classes and that I had been able to get all three AP classes that I had wanted. It was going to suck work-wise because those classes weren't known on going easy on the assignments, but I would find a way to manage.

At lunch, I grabbed a chef salad from the salad bar and took it and a bottle of water out to the lawn by the Fine Arts building. I gave Tray a hug and smiled, seeing Tara and JB had the same lunch period as me this year. Only Amelia was missing. Alcide looked lonely without Holly and I felt a little sorry for him. He gave me a small smile when I hugged him, but it was a little weird, not getting the customary leer and innuendo from him. That's not to say he didn't look at me. It just didn't seem as creepy as it did before.

Halleigh had given us all duffel bags for carting around our practice gear. She didn't want us to wear the uniforms before game time; she wanted them to be a surprise. We had our workout clothes and shoes in the bags, as well as several bottles of water. The routines were very intense and could make me work up a sweat. The first performance was going to be to the Black Eyed Peas. We had had a lengthy debate over the merits of several songs, but ultimately, we decided "Get It Started" would be perfect for the first game of the season. Halleigh and Felicia were both talented choreographers and had a way of putting things together in a way I wouldn't have thought of and making it look seamless.

The only day I had to work that week was Wednesday. I drove quickly from school after the final bell so I could get to the diner and change into _that_ uniform before four. Senior and I had discussed my work schedule during school over the summer and had decided Mondays and Wednesdays from four to nine, and Saturdays from ten to four. Sixteen hours a week and I would still have my days for practices and a full weekend day to work on projects and homework. I told him, depending on how classes were going, I might have to pull back a little on the hours and he was fine with it.

Waking up two hours early on Friday morning for pre-class practice just flat out sucked. I got my travel mug of extra strong coffee and headed to the dark school. We all straggled in, no one except Halleigh looking energized, and I kind of hated her right then. But once we were warmed up and did the run through for the performance that night, I could see the merit of getting it out of the way. Afterward, we showered and got dressed, ready for class.

When the final bell rang, we met again in the gym to go over the home game procedure, since the game didn't start until seven-thirty. We would go out and do what we wanted, making sure we ate. No one wanted to pass out on the field. We would meet back at the gym at seven-thirty to warm up, rehearse, and get dressed. Belinda, Danielle, Ginger, and I had become a little group and went to get dinner. We went to the same Mexican place I had gone from prom and had tacos and rice. Protein and carbs. Perfect.

I ran home and got some makeup. I still rarely wore the stuff, but I would be in front of hundreds of people and wanted to make sure I looked good doing it. Danielle laughed a little about how clueless I was, but agreed to help me. We also had this glitter hairspray that Felicia wanted up to use to we would "sparkle" under the floodlights. I wasn't sure about that, but I was learning a lot about the strange world of cosmetics.

Tara, JB, Amelia, Tray, and Alcide had said that they were all going to some out and support me in my debut. It meant a lot to me, because none of them cared at all about football and I was only playing a tiny part during halftime. Mom, Daddy, Jason, Hadley, Sophie, Andre, Uncle Victor, Aunt Sandy, and Gran were also coming. I wasn't sure if that was comforting or if it made me more nervous.

The team gathered in the gym and we did out warm up stretches. At the end of the first quarter, we went into the locker rooms to get ready and dress in the uniforms. I had tried mine on once just to make sure it fit, but it was by far the most revealing thing I had worn that wasn't a bathing suit. I was blessed in the bosom department and the tiny top made sure the girls were supported, but a little more on display than I liked. The fringe of the skirt-thing tickled my hips when I moved, but that was something I would just have to get used to. Felicia sprayed herself, then all of us, with the glitter spray and I thought this might be what a showgirl in Vegas would look like.

**EPOV**

After we ate, we headed back to the school to warm up and get suited up. We went over plays and what should work best against the team we were facing. They weren't our main rival, but they were a challenging team that had a strong defense and offense, with a lot of seasoned starters. We could hear the music from the neighboring gym and I knew the dance squad was getting ready to warm up. I could hear the marching band tuning up in the stands. My senses were percolating and it felt like everything was heightened. I loved games.

The first quarter was challenging. Our offensive line wasn't as seasoned as some of our starters had graduated the previous spring and my ass got sacked twice. Little holes appeared and my ass was feeling it. Shaking it off each time, we had still scored first, with a beautiful pass connecting with Preston in the end zone. That little fucker was _fast_.

The second quarter was more of the same. It took all my strength to _not_ knock heads about the holes opening and getting my ass pounded into the ground. As big as I was, as quarterback, I had a big fucking target on my chest. And it's true the bigger you are, the harder you fall. A three-hundred pound defensive linebacker hits hard. The pads only protect you so much. It's still hurts like hell.

We managed to score another touchdown and field goal, but the other team got on the board with the same. We entered halftime with a seven point lead, which was good, but the game was by no means over. We went into the locker room as the band filed down from the stands to do their thing for the first part of halftime. We got the coaches' commentary on what we needed to look out for during the second half so we didn't lose the lead we'd gained. We got water and Gatorade to replenish what we'd lost. I talked to my offensive line to emphasize what needed to happen when we got back on the field, specifically closing holes. Sacks were part of my stats and I wanted to keep that number as low as possible.

We headed back down to the field as the band was marching off. Eleven sparkly girls came running onto the field. _Oh.__My.__God._ Heidi hadn't been kidding when she said that the uniforms for this year were "something". Cleavage. Bare midriffs. Fringe. Long legs. I couldn't look away. They took position on the field and the loud speakers started playing Black Eyed Peas. To say I was impressed would be an understatement. My eyes were drawn to Sookie in particular. She was amazing. I remembered back to the private dance I had received before she had started practicing with the team. She had been good then, but she had improved with just a few short weeks of training. It was different to see her as part of a unit and still being the only one that drew my eye.

The song ended entirely too soon for my liking, but the crowd had been enthusiastic with their applause. I could hear exactly where her family was in the stands behind me by the hooting of Jason, Hadley, Sophie, and, I assumed, Andre. They jogged off the field and the clocks ran out the last couple of minutes until halftime was over. Fantasy time over, time to get back to work.

**SPOV**

I felt like I was going to throw up. There was a reason I focused on back-stage when I did drama. I'm not a "Where's the spotlight" kind of girl. I should have thought this through more. Heidi caught my white face and gasping breaths before we left the gym. "It's okay. I still get nervous too. Once you get down there, though, the lights kind of hide the stands. Focus on the music and the steps that have been drilled into us and it'll be over before you know it."

I was surprised and kind of touched that she would go out of her way to comfort me. I had known her through Tara since we were in middle school, but I assumed that she had forgotten that we knew each other. We jogged down to the field and took our positions, waiting for the music to start. Heidi had been right. The steps were second nature by this point and I let memory take over. I didn't even think about the audience until the music ended and the applause started. I could hear my family cheering loudly. I glanced toward the stands to see if I could see them and saw Eric on the sideline, looking shocked. Had the team watched the entire show and I had just blocked them out? I glanced around and saw several other players looking as dumbfounded as Eric did. I felt my cheeks burn with a blush as I made my way off the field with the rest of the squad.

Once we got into the gym, we congratulated ourselves on a lot of hard work that paid off. Halleigh came in to congratulate us as well and remind us that we had a lot of work to do since there was another home game the following week. We changed back into our street clothes and were free to do whatever we wanted. I put on a jean skirt, my flip flops, and a tank top, but I was still all made-up and sparkly. It was an interesting look.

I dropped off my duffel bag at my car and headed into the stands. I got fawned over by my family, Mom especially. She had even brought the video camera. I had a feeling by the end of basketball season, she would have a full collection of my dances. I said goodbye to everyone and went to hunt down Tara and the rest of my friends.

They found me first. Alcide gave me a huge hug and swung me around. In fact, it was Hugs for Sookie from everyone. We walked around the stadium, meeting up with other people, just saying hi. It was weird how, when Holly wasn't around (now apparently a permanent situation), Alcide and I got paired together. It was just how the grouping worked out. It was also weird how, now that he was single, he wasn't as aggressive as he had been. He was actually... sweet. It wasn't something I was used to.

We took breaks to watch parts of the game, but I needed an explanation as to what was actually going on. Jason and Daddy had given up trying to explain football to me years ago. I just knew that Eric was the quarterback, the number on his jersey was 16, and he actually looked dwarfed by some of the guys on that field. I didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on, but he had a grace of his own, moving around to hand off or throw the ball. His strength was apparent. I loved being able to stand back and watch him. He clearly had command of the team on the field.

We cheered every time our team scored, but none of us were all that involved in the game. We headed to the ice cream shop across the street and I got my usual peach and strawberry milkshake. Taking our time, it was fun just hanging out until we saw the lines of headlights leaving the stadium. We had missed the end of the game. Deciding to head back, I made it a point to catch a glimpse of the scoreboard on the way to my car. 31 to 13. I was happy for Eric. I knew that he would look better for scholarships with more checks in the "win" column.

Alcide had walked me back to my car before going to meet Tray at their Jeep. He had loaned me his flannel shirt since the evenings were starting to get chilly. I was grateful for his company. A dark parking lot is just creepy. He was quite _sweet_ and gave me another hug before leaving. It was hard to get used to that from him. I called him back and tossed his shirt back to him. I dug my keys out of my pocket to unlock my door when a voice came from the darkness.

"You looked good out there tonight." I released a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding. Eric.

"So did you. I was impressed."

"I didn't realize you were watching." He slowly came closer. I still couldn't see him, just his vague shape.

"I missed the first half, but caught most of the third quarter. I'm glad we won."

"You didn't watch the second half?" I had to be imagining it, but he sounded slightly insulted.

"I don't understand football. I've never followed it before. We went to the ice cream shop until we saw the cars leaving the school." There was no point in lying.

He got closer. "I would have been happy to explain it to you. You never told me that you didn't understand it."

I unlocked my door and leaned in to stick the keys in the ignition, but closed the door and leaned against it. It seemed this was going to be a lengthy conversation. "It never really came up."

He finally got to the car and leaned against the back door next to me. "So who went for ice cream? You said 'we'."

I inhaled and got a little dizzy. He smelled so good. "Umm, Tara, JB, Amelia, Tray, and Alcide, along with myself."

"Was that Alcide or Tray that walked you to your car? I can never tell them apart if they aren't with their girlfriends."

I could get that. They _were_ identical twins. "Alcide. It'll get easier. He's the one that doesn't have a girlfriend anymore."

**EPOV**

I was fucking thrilled with the win tonight. We allowed the other team just three more points and we scored two more touchdowns in the second half. I walked into the locker room feeling like a king. It was those moments I just loved.

We gave the game ball to Preston. He and his speed and ability to get to the ball where ever I threw it had earned it. We showered and got ready to go. By the time we left the locker room, the parking lot was usually deserted. But in the lot where my car was, there was one other car, a dark blue Cabrio.

I saw two figures walking toward it. I leaned against my Camero just to see who it was. I recognized Sookie's shape, even in the dark. I could tell one of the twins was walking her to her car. Good idea. You never knew who could be lurking in the dark.

She gave whichever twin it was a hug and as he walked away, she... what? Took off her shirt and threw it to him? What the hell was that? My eyes grew more accustomed to the dark and could see she was still wearing a tank top. Even if he had a girlfriend, I didn't like the idea of her wearing another guy's clothes.

After he left, I spoke up from my car, knowing my voice would carry in the empty lot. It was uncomfortable, neither of us really knowing what to say. I was kind of insulted that she hadn't hung around to watch the game until she told me that she didn't understand the game. I was entirely un-fucking-thrilled to hear that the twin that wanted her was now single. Did he not have a girlfriend the way that I hadn't had a girlfriend for a month? Was he able to give her the easy, casual "relationship" that she claimed to have wanted from me?

I turned toward her. "So are you with him now? You looked pretty cozy there."

She tilted her head. "Is that really any of your business anymore? I'm not asking you about, what was her name, Yvette?"

"Yvetta. And you can ask anything you want."

"It's not my place to ask. We aren't together anymore. You can do what you want; I can do what I want."

It wasn't what she said, it was how she said it. Her voice sounded... sad. Like she was just accepting what she found inevitable. "Are you with him now?" I asked again.

"Why do you care, Eric?"

"Because I want to know if I'm gonna get my ass kicked for doing this," I said and without giving her warning, pulled her to me and kissed her hard. I had missed her lips. Her body instantly molded into mine and her tongue plunged into my mouth, her hands wound around my neck and into my hair. It lasted for just a moment before she pushed herself away from me.

"What the hell was that exactly?" She sounded breathless and pissed. "You can't just sneak a kiss like that!"

"Would you have let me kiss you otherwise?"

"Well, I guess you'll never know now!" She turned to open her car door, but I pushed it closed before she got it all the way open.

"You want this. I know you do."

"I'm starting to think that you never knew me. If I had walked to my car alone tonight, would you be acting all caveman on me? Or is it because you want to claim me? Why are you out here waiting for me?"

"Because I haven't been able to get you out of my fucking head since May. Because I have thought about you daily for the past four fucking months and it's driving me crazy. Because I can't get enough of you," I growled. I pulled her to me and kissed her again, only to have her push me away again.

"You can't keep doing that. You know what I want, and you know it doesn't exactly mesh with what you want."

"I know what I want right now. I'm not thinking beyond that. I don't give a shit what happens tomorrow, next week, anything beyond this moment right here and now. Don't think about anything except what you want. Right now."

I wasn't prepared for her quick response, but it was what I had known it would be. This move had to be all hers. She grabbed the material of my t-shirt, pulled me to her and kissed me harder than I had kissed her. I held me to her tightly. My arms went around her and she released the hold she had on my shirt, only to return her hands to the back of my neck. I slid a hand up her side and palmed her breast, loving the way her nipple hardened against my touch. She moaned softly in my mouth and I moved my lips to her neck. Her breathing became heavy as she tilted her head to give me better access. I cupped her ass and lifted her when the height difference became too much. I moved to the back of her car and sat her on her trunk. I stood between her legs and nudged the thin material of her tank top and bra out of the way to give me access to her perfect breasts. I pinched and rolled her nipple between my finger, watching her to see if she would object. Taking her moan and the squirming of her hips as the green light, I leaned in and sucked on them, alternating right and left, feeling them harden afterward in the cool evening air.

She shifted on the trunk and slid forward, allowing my hips to make contact with hers. I don't think I had ever properly given thanks for the creation of skirts. I could feel heat rolling off her between us and she rocked her hips toward mine. I had been hard since the first kiss, but it was getting to be uncomfortable. Her hand slid down and stroked me, making me unsure yet again as to whether I was in heaven or hell.

"Are you with him," I repeated breathlessly against her breast.

"No one since you," she panted. "You?"

"Same, and if we don't stop now, I don't know if I'll be able to later," I groaned, praying she was in the same place as I was.

She shifted her hips again and grabbed my butt to pull me tighter against her. "That was me not saying a fucking thing to stop you." her voice had become a little growly and it was hot.

I reached up her skirt and nudged aside her panties to feel her dripping wet. I ran my finger through her folds. Her response was to stroke me harder and reclaim my lips for a kiss that left me even more breathless.

**SPOV**

What the fuck? I might as well just go for it. God knew I wanted it just as much as he did. I was through with thinking about this so fucking much. I unfastened his jeans and reached past the zipper to find he had gone commando. Well, that was certainly convenient. We were alone in the parking lot. Every other car had left. I pulled him out and stroked him firmly in time to the thrusts of his fingers inside me. He knew exactly what to do and how to touch me to get me off fast. He found my g-spot immediately and scissored his fingers against it as he massaged my clit with his thumb. I couldn't help the movements my hips made as I ground against his hand and gasped his name.

He licked his fingers clean as I came down. He seemed to be thinking, which was the last fucking thing I wanted either of to be capable of. He reached up my skirt again, grabbed the waistband of my panties and pulled, ripping the sides of them. He slid his hands under my ass and lifted me again. I could feel his erection against my thigh as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He pressed my back against the side of my car and hiked my skirt up until it was around my waist. He positioned himself and pushed into me, making both of us moan. His hips pumped and I knew I would reach a second release quickly. I rolled my hips on every upstroke and felt my eyes starting to roll back in my head. He attacked my neck with his mouth, groaning my name against my skin between nips and kisses. My legs tightened around him when I came again and he followed, biting my shoulder to keep from yelling. It took awhile for us to catch our breath. He pulled out and helped me get my feet on solid ground, even if I was a little wobbly at first. I adjusted my skirt so everything was covered, important since I didn't have functional underwear anymore. I wasn't too thrilled about my panties being ripped, but was too blissed out to really give him any hell about it. I leaned back against my car door and everything that was wrong with this came flooding back. "So what now, Eric?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Now we go home. I told you. I don't care about tomorrow, next week, next year. You got what you wanted; I got what I wanted. If it happens again, it happens. _This_ is a casual fling. This is what _you_ wanted. Good night, Sookie." He gave me a quick kiss, headed to his car, and pulled away without a backward glance.

Well fuck. Now what?

**A/N: So this ending was not where I originally intended on going when I started this monster, but who argues with the muses? This has gone on way longer than I intended and has taken on a life of its own in my head. Fun, right? So, even though not what I intended, what are we thinking now? I have a feeling some of you are gonna be mighty pissed at me over this. Let me know. I love critiques. Just make sure you do it as a review. Constructive criticism and instructive praise is ALWAYS welcomed. Thanks again for all the favorite and alert notices too. Who knows what I might treat you with for 500 reviews?**


	23. Chapter 22

**A/N: Holy cow, was I surprised by the Eric love last chapter. If you thought that my muse was shitting on Eric in earlier chapters, it's Sookie's turn now. Just remember... she doesn't understand why everything is such a big deal and is still learning. Give my girl a break. There was a delay on this because my father-in-law decided to visit and I had to play hostess when I got home from work. Apparently it's not polite to put on you headphones and type while ignoring your guests. Who knew? And I'm not quite sure what is up with another monster chapter, but here it is regardless. Missy Dee gets thanks again for helping me work through my brain farts. Charlaine Harris owns them, I'm just playing with them to rewrite history.**

**EPOV**

Part of me felt bad for leaving Sookie in the parking lot, but the other part of me felt fan-fucking-tastic. It was petty of me, I know, but it felt right to give her a taste of what I had had to deal with over the summer.

But, God, what an incredible end to an already awesome night. There were still some experience issues we had to resolve on the offensive line, but it was pretty good for the first game of the season. Besides the score, the best part of the game had been seeing Sookie dance. From the shell-shocked expressions of my teammates at the end of halftime, I could tell they had been as impressed with the dance team (and their new uniforms) as I had been.

The pinnacle of the evening was the parking lot. It took all my self control not to go caveman on that Alcide asshole. I didn't like his arm wrapped around her shoulder. I hated her wearing his shirt. I loathed that he was the one getting hugs from her. I made it my mission to replace any scent of him that may have lingered on her. I was pretty damn sure that I succeeded too.

To be completely honest, I was surprised that she let me go as far as she did. I expected some furious making out, especially when she threw Yvetta in my face. Hot, angry, crazy sex against her car was, I thought, in the league of a little girl asking Santa for a pony. You can ask, you can hope, but it most likely _not_ going to happen. I felt lucky that my late-summer wish had been granted.

I pulled into the parking lot for Merlotte's after I left the high school. I smirked and nodded at the cheers and applause when I walked in. I looked around for my friends, rolling my eyes at Bill and Thalia making out in a corner. I spotted Max, Heidi, and, to my surprise, Preston sitting at a table by the window. I put in an order for a steak quesadilla (Sookie had gotten me hooked on the damn things), grabbed a chair from an empty table, and joined them.

Preston joining our crowd was unusual. He was only a sophomore, but his talent had gotten him bumped up to the varsity team. He was tall and wiry, the perfect frame for a running back. He was not quite as tall as me, but close. It was endearingly amusing how awed he was at hanging out with us.

Heidi looked over at me with a smirk. "So, Eric, what have you been getting yourself into? Or should I say who?"

I rolled my eyes at her catty question. "I had some things I needed to clear up before I left. Sorry I'm late."

She laughed. "Hon, you sparkle like an angsty teenage vampire," she pointed out and raised an eyebrow at me.

I looked down. It hadn't been noticeable in the dark parking lot, but a _lot_ of the glitter that had made Sookie and the rest of the dance team sparkle under the floodlights had transferred onto me. My clothes, my skin, my hair. Fuck.

She continued looking over me. "I know it wasn't me, unfortunately. That would have been fun to try again. I know it wasn't Felicia because she's been humping Clancy's leg all night. Hmm... there are nine other girls that it could have been, but for the life of me, I can't picture you with any of them, even for a post-game quickie."

Heidi was entirely too fucking perceptive for my liking right now. I was saved by the waitress with the unnaturally red hair bringing me my food. I grabbed the biggest piece of quesadilla and shoving it in my mouth. It may have been rude, but I wasn't really in the mood to answer any questions. Max, who had seen enough of me that summer to know _something_ was up and who it would possibly be with, wisely kept his trap shut, but gave me curious looks the entire time I ate.

**SPOV**

Seriously, what the fucking hell was _that_? You don't fuck someone up against their car and then just leave them in the parking lot. At least, a decent person doesn't do that.

"_This_ is a fling," were Eric's parting words to me. The hell it is. _That_ was not what I wanted. I had been expecting to get in my car and go home to my warm, comfy bed after a shower to get all the fucking glitter off me. I still had to work the lunch shift the next day and needed some rest. Not to say that it wasn't hot. He still knew how to touch me and how to get me to respond. And damn him for that.

I slumped in my driver's seat, still sitting in the parking lot. I was exhausted, but too wired to go home yet. I knew Tara was getting sick of me laying my messed up little head trips at her feet for her to figure out for me. But I needed to talk to someone to figure this shit out. I pulled out my phone and started scrolling through the contacts. Alcide was one of the first names I came to. I though about how he'd been since Holly had broken up with him. He'd been sweet, quiet, and nothing at all like the creep he had been over the past few months. I had actually gotten more comfortable with him and figured it might be a good starting point to get a guys point of view on this whole situation, and Jason wasn't someone I could go to with the whole story.

I hit the button to call him and waited while it rang. When he answered, he sounded surprised.

"Sook?" he asked

"Hey Alc. Whatcha doing now?"

"Tray just dropped Amelia off. We're heading home." He still sounded confused.

"You think you could drop him off and meet me somewhere? I need to talk to someone and Tara is sick of me and my problems right now."

"Yeah. Where'd you want to meet?"

"Umm..." I really had no idea. "Can you just meet me here? At the parking lot of the high school?"

"You're still there? I thought you left, like, an hour ago."

"I would have. That's what I need to talk about."

I could hear him talking to Tray in the background. I heard the deep rumble of one of them laughing and Alcide got back on the phone. "I can be there in about ten minutes. Same spot and everything?"

"Yep. I'll see you soon." I ended the call and played around with the games on my phone waiting until I saw the Jeep pull up next to me. I hopped out of my car and into the passenger seat.

Alcide leaned over to give me a quick hug. "I have to admit, Sook. I never thought you'd be calling on me as someone to confide in."

"Honestly, I never thought I would either. I need someone impartial to give me a guy's view on things."

"I'll help if I can, but you're gonna have to give me some back story here. This have anything to do with the times you'd show up at Tara's all agitated over the summer?"

I gave him a fair amount of background and what I had wanted from Eric. His eyes narrowed at the name, but didn't interrupt. I didn't go into explicit details, but told him what had basically happened after he left me in the parking lot that night. I finished my monologue, feeling my face burning and knowing I was blushing beet red.

Alcide leaned back and was quiet for a few long minutes. "So let me get this straight. You almost lose your virginity to the guy in the woods at a field party. He just leaves you there when he finds out you were a virgin. You show up to school the next week looking all hot and shit and he starts basically stalking you. After the Spanish guy left, you decided to give the asshole another chance. And not only that, but you gave him a free pass. You told him that you didn't want anything serious, just something casual. And he got pissed over that?"

"Well, I think that's what it was. He told me that he wanted 'boyfriend' privileges."

His voice got louder and tinged with anger. "So when I left tonight, he met you here, you had it out, and he fucked you up against your car, right? And then said 'See ya,' and drove away?"

"Umm, yeah. He said that _that_ was a fling and what I had said I wanted to begin with. Is that what guys consider a fling?"

"My question is what the hell made you even get started with an asshole like that to begin with? Why didn't you ever give me a chance?"

"Alc, you were with Holly. I won't ever be 'the other girl' in a relationship. I was with Rasul for two months, until he left. The thing with Eric just happened. It wasn't expected or planned," I concluded lamely, shrugging my shoulders. "I just don't know what to do now."

"Now? After he actually got to finish the fuck and run job he wanted to do back in the spring? You go on like every other fucking girl he's done this to. You feel a little used and keep looking in his direction, hoping to see some sort of affection or, hell, even recognition, on his face when he looks at you."

"Dude, what is with the hate?" I was surprised at the bitterness he was showing.

"I've been watching him do this to girls for almost three years now. I thought you were better than that. I've wanted you since we met. You were gorgeous, but didn't realize it. You're smart, funny, and if I hadn't been with Holly, I would have been pursuing you hard. _Before_ you started attracting the leeches of the school by dressing up. You told me I creeped you out with the looks and comments, but I wanted to give you some idea of how I felt, but give myself an out if you rejected it. I could play it off as kidding around. But this whole time you've been fucking Northman, of all people? What the fuck, Sookie?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember needing your approval. I asked you here for some advice, but it's pretty damn obvious that all I'm going to get from you is judgment. This was a bad idea," I muttered, more to myself, but he heard it.

"Damn straight it was. What made you think I would want to hear this, much less give you advice about it? I gave you more credit than to fall for Northman's bullshit lines. But you're just like all the little fangirls that run around here, ready to spread their legs for him for a wink and a smile. Go home, Sookie. I don't know if I'll ever be able to look at you the same way."

Shooting him an angry look, I slammed the passenger door of the Jeep and got back in my car. Seeing the Wrangler peel out of the parking lot made me kind of laugh, but bitterly. I now had _two_ guys leave me in the same parking lot on the same night. I started my car and drove home, no clearer about how I felt about this whole fucked up situation.

**EPOV**

I stayed out late that night. It was my usual procedure. We migrated our gathering spots as places closed. I made it home somewhere close to three am. I changed clothes when I got to my room and promptly crashed. I woke up late the next day. Saturdays were our only full day off. We had a meeting Sunday evenings to watch game film to get our plays in line for the following week. I knew that Chester was having another party by the river that night. I wasn't sure if I was going to go or not.

Pam was at one of her friend's houses, enjoying another weekend-long sleepover. Mom would pick her up on her way home the following day. No one was home now, but I was used to the emptiness by now. I made myself some lunch (can you really call it breakfast if it's after noon?) and considered my options for what to do with my day.

Heidi had amused herself for a long time the night before imagining different scenarios that would have gotten me all glittery. The only person who could have given her any correct insight would have been Bill or Thalia, but they was too busy massaging each others tonsils with their tongues to pay attention to our little conversation.

I decided that I would go to the party. I was pretty sure that Sookie wouldn't be going. I had gotten the impression that she didn't hang out with her cousins all that much and that first party was a fluke. I didn't know if I wanted to see her or if I didn't. The part of me that had felt guilty the night before had grown while I was sleeping. I really had been an ass to her. I think my conscience has a time delay.

I went for a two-hour run to burn off some excess energy, feeling grateful that the humidity was letting up. I showered when I got home and called Max on my way to the party. He agreed to meet me in his pickup so I could get there without ruining my undercarriage.

**SPOV**

I was all kinds of cranky the next morning. Hadley was a demon in a perky sixteen-year old body. I was convinced. She woke me up _again_, telling me that Chester was having another party that night and she wanted me to come out. Naturally my mom was all for me going out. Surely Eric wouldn't be there since he knew Chester was my cousin's boyfriend. I told her I'd go, but I wanted more sleep before I had to shower and get ready for work.

I checked my reflection and was less than thrilled to see all that glitter shit still clinging to my neck, face, and hair. Ugh. That stuff never came off. I hoped Senior wouldn't mind a sparkly waitress. There wasn't much I could do about it if he didn't. I pulled on my uniform and a little makeup (by which I mean some powder and lip gloss) and headed off to the diner.

Senior let me into the kitchen when I pulled up at ten and I got started on my side work for opening. The front door got unlocked at eleven and all I really had to do was wait for people to show up. It was slow-going until about twelve when people started coming in in droves. I was running my ass off non-stop for orders, refills, and checks on auto-pilot. When it started to slow down around two thirty, I was able to catch my breath and take a break. I gave my lunch order to Arlene, grabbed a cup of lemonade, and went to the parking lot with my phone. I sat under one of the patio umbrellas so I wouldn't have to deal with glare. A tall figure stood over me for a second and I looked up.

I thought for a moment that it was Eric, but the silhouette was off. I stood for a better look. The guy standing in front of me wasn't quite as tall as Eric, and he was thinner. He had dark chocolate colored hair that almost came down to his shoulders and these light caramel colored eyes. He looked familiar, but I couldn't place him.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked, motioning to the seat across from me.

I waved my hand and sat back down. "Help yourself. But if you want to order, you should probably head inside. I'm on my break for another twenty minutes."

"That's okay. I'm still waiting on some people. You look familiar."

"So do you. Were you at the game last night?"

He chuckled. "You could say that. Were you?"

"Yeah. I was on the field for about five minutes wearing the equivalent of a fringed bathing suit."

He smiled and nodded. "I was one of the guys in the tight white pants, blue jersey, and helmet. We caught that performance last night.. I think we're going to have to make a point to get back on the sidelines before halftime ends from now on."

Arlene brought out my salad and refilled my lemonade. "Hope you don't mind me eating, but I haven't had anything today. And I'm going to feel really stupid, but what's your name, person I've been talking to for several minutes now?"

"Preston. And you?"

"Sookie. So who are you waiting on, Preston?"

"My brothers are meeting me here. They play rec league soccer and I take them to lunch after their games. Their coach drops them off. They should be here soon."

"How old are they?"

"Ten. Cole and Dylan are twins. They are a handful."

I ate my salad while we continued talking. At a break in the flow of topics, I thought for a moment. It had been awhile since I had a nice conversation with a guy where there was no tension whatsoever. "Preston, what are you doing tonight?"

"I don't really have any plans. Why?"

"My cousin's boyfriend is having a field party tonight and I would love to have at least one person there that I can have a conversation with. You want to go?"

His face flushed. "Umm, I would love to, but I don't have a license yet."

"It's cool. I can pick you up." His head turned and I followed his gaze to a red Suburban. "Only if you want to."

He stood and two identical miniature versions of him ran into the restaurant, waving as they passed. "Yeah. I'd like that. I'll give you my number before we leave."

I finished my lunch and started on my end-of-shift side work so I could leave right at four. Before I left, Preston gave me a slip of paper with his number. I immediately texted him so he'd have mine. I smiled and told him I'd get directions and pick him up around seven. I had to talk Jason into letting me use his truck for the night.

**EPOV**

It was mind numbing how repetitive these parties were. Country music playing from a boombox on the river bank or from various truck stereos. A cooler of disgustingly cheap beer and a few random wine coolers for the girls. A bonfire in the middle of the field. An overabundance of pointy boots and oversize belt buckles, and not just on the guys either. Pickup trucks ranging from shiny and tricked out to rusty and covered in mud. But the fact was, in the middle of nowhere, with no major cities around, this was the best nightlife there was to offer around here.

Max grabbed a couple of beers and we leaned against his truck, looking around, trying to decide where to go. Heidi and Isabelle showed up riding in Isabelle's mom's Cherokee. It was kind of funny how out of place a SUV looked around all the pickups. They grabbed wine coolers for themselves and joined us by the truck.

Max, Heidi, and Isabelle talked about the game last night. My contributions to the conversation had been monosyllabic grunts of agreement to what ever they were talking about. I saw the bright blue pickup I had been waiting for bounce into the field, but it only held Hadley and Sophie. I felt myself relax and became the congenial, flirtatious asshole I was best known for being.

I was in the process of making a couple of random girls giggle when bouncing headlights caught my attention. It was a black truck with very custom aqua and pink detailing. Jason. Fuck. What the hell was he doing at a high school field party?

But it wasn't a tall blond male that jumped down from the driver's seat. She was wearing jeans that made her already amazing ass look mouthwatering and yet another tank top, this one day-glo blue. And she wasn't alone. A tall, dark brunette exited the passenger side and came around to join the driver. What the fucking hell was Preston doing here with Sookie?

I didn't have much time to think about it before Heidi squealed and ran off to greet them. Hadley was doing the same from the other end of the field. Really? Was fate so determined to fuck with me like this? Max said nothing, but smirked at the expression on my face, which I guess was a mix of dumbfounded and jealous. I really didn't like the fact that this _kid_ I had been planning on taking under my wing was escorting _my_ Sookie to parties.

After being hugged by Hadley, Sookie allowed herself and Preston to be dragged over to Max's truck by Heidi. "Sookie, this is Max Lee and Eric Northman. Preston, you already know them. Sookie is on the dance team with me this year. Have you guys met?"

Max shook his head and offered his hand to Sookie. She shook it and turned to me with a grin, biting her lip, like she was trying to keep from laughing. "I think we danced together at Prom. How are you, Eric?"

So that was how she was going to play it? I could do that. I smiled at her. "I think so. Preston, how's it going tonight?"

"Good, Eric. Sookie invited me. I wasn't expecting a field party to be this crowded," he said quietly. He looked around, surprised at the surprisingly large number of people congregating around the bonfire.

"You guys need a beer? I want some water," Sookie asked. Max and I nodded, and Preston shook his head. She left for the cooler.

"So how do you know Sookie?" I asked Preston once she was out of earshot.

"I met her at Merlotte's today when I took my little brothers out for lunch. She was on her break and I got there before their coach dropped them off. We got to talking. She's a cool girl. Umm... how do _you_ know her?"

Oops. Time to think fast. "She did drama with my sister back in the spring. I got to know her through Pam." Yeah, blatant lie, but ask if I gave a damn.

"She seems really sweet. And oh my god, is she hot! That uniform those girls were wearing last night..," he shook his head as he trailed off. "It was a little hard to get blood flow back to the brain, right?"

I fought to keep my expression neutral "They were good, but don't let _anything_ distract you during a game." So, I was being a total hypocrite. I had been just as distracted as he had apparently been, I was just better and not showing it.

Sookie returned and handed cans of beer to Max and me, and handed a bottle of water off to Preston before opening her own. "So what were you guys talking about while I was gone?" I know I wasn't imagining the wary glance she gave me out of the corner of her eye.

I opened my mouth to answer, but Preston beat me to it. "I was telling him how amazing I thought you guys were last night. He was telling me that I can't afford to be distracted during the game."

She bit down on her lip as she tried not to laugh again. She had gotten to know me entirely too well. "I see. Well, I'm going to talk to Heidi about how we can make our performances less 'distracting'." She walked away and joined up with Heidi and Isabelle.

**SPOV**

It was too fucking funny. Acting like Eric and I had only a passing knowledge of each other. I had convinced Jason that I would take good care of his baby. I didn't drink for the most part, and after I picked up Preston, I would only be about a mile away from the house. He tossed me his keys and told me to have fun.

I joined Heidi and the redhead she had been talking to when the entered Merlotte's so many weeks ago. Isabelle had been the one to think the dance routines were getting too strenuous and was quitting to join cheerleading. Heidi was talking about making fun of Eric for sparkling when he showed up at Merlotte's. Shit. I forgot that glitter shit rubbed off on _everything_. I struggled not to laugh more than expected, but it was a really funny mental image.

As the night wore on, I was reminded why I hated these things. People started pairing off and/or getting drunk and belligerent. I like Preston just fine, but not in a hooking-up kind of way. We sat in the bed of Jason's truck, just talking and getting to know each other better. I wasn't stupid. I'm not telepathic, but it didn't take a mind reader to know what he wanted. I excused myself to try to find another bottle of water somewhere, knowing it would be quite a search. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I didn't want to lead him on either.

Eric was still lounging again his friend's truck, looking in my direction with a sour look on his face. I knew right away what it looked like as I hopped down from the truck bed. He grabbed my arm and pulled me over by the bonfire, where it would be too loud to be overheard.

"What were you thinking, coming here with him?" he asked me angrily.

"I was thinking that Hadley was forcing me to come to this thing and it would be nice to have someone I could talk to. I didn't think you'd come here. I was under the impression that you had gotten what you wanted." I know my voice was tight, but he had hurt my feelings the night before.

"I was under the impression that I was giving you what _you_ wanted. You could have told me if you wanted to fuck the whole team." I could smell the beer on his breath and knew that, partially at least, it was the alcohol talking.

"You know damn well that's not what I want. I wanted you. But you had to push me for more than I was ready to give. I'm new to this whole world of relationships or whatever the fuck you want to call what we had, and you knew that too. I told you up front what I wanted, and a quick fuck up against my car in the parking lot of the high school was not it."

"Would it have killed you to clue me in on that? I don't know which way is up with you, Sookie. I'm pissed as hell at you and still want nothing more than to drag you off into the woods and make you scream my name so loud that everyone here can hear you." He was very expressive, using his hands a lot while arguing with me. It would be clear to anyone passing by that we weren't talking about the weather.

"Eric, I like you. A lot. I can admit that, which is a hell of a lot more than I was able to a few weeks ago. But I stand by my decision. I don't want a boyfriend. Honestly, _I_ don't know what the fuck I want anymore, and I can't expect you to know what to do with that. And I don't expect you to wait around while I try to figure it out." I couldn't help but sound as defeated as I felt. I liked him a lot more than I was willing to let on, but damn if I was going to make myself vulnerable.

"Well, well, well," a new voice broke in from behind me. "Eric, I think you may have forgotten to mention how well you knew little Sookie here. Is she the one that shared her glitter with you last night?" Heidi. Shit.

**A/N: Don't beat up on Sookie too much. She still doesn't know what she wants. She's being honest about it, but her choices aren't exactly the best, are they? I promise that I have a plan. I will say that no where in that plan has Sookie getting pregnant. I would just feel wrong about knocking her up (and it sounds really funny to read that). ALSO, on that note, as a treat for the 500 reviews I've gotten *squeal*, I want you guys to tell me what you'd like to see as an outtake. Suggestions in reviews or even PM. I will pick the idea that I think works best in this trippy little world. I am freaking _giddy_ that I have gotten this kind of love. Thanks again!**


	24. Chapter 23

**A/N: Yes, I have been away an unforgivable amount of time on this and bless all of you that have stuck with me. I got stuck for a little while. A few days ago, I went back and started reading reviews and what do you know? I found myself inspired all of a sudden. Never let it be said that reviews just feed the ego. I had a lot of fun with this and look forward to _hopefully_ getting another chapter done before the new year. Maybe. No promises. On with the show.**

**EPOV**

Shit. Shitshitshit. I wasn't in the mood for Heidi's teasing when I was sober. After several beers, it was even more irritating. And the fucking horrified look on Sookie's face pissed me off even more.

"Sookie, honey, Preston is looking a little lonely over there. Why don't you go keep your date company? I'll make sure our star QB here is properly...mmm... entertained." Heidi flicked her eyes towards Jason's truck, where Preston sat on the tailgate looking like a lost fucking puppy. Sookie shot me a look that said she wasn't anywhere done with this... whatever the hell we were doing, before pasting a convincing smile on her face and all but skipped back to Preston.

"So, Northman, what's the deal with you and Sookie?" Heidi asked, looking at me with avid curiosity. Her tone was soothing, inviting confidence, but her eyes were sparkling at the thought of some juicy gossip.

"It's nothing you need to worry about. We had a disagreement; now it's been resolved," I shrugged. It was nowhere near resolved. I may have been buzzed, but I wasn't stupid enough to confide in _Heidi_. Hell,. I barely counted her as a friend.

She scooted closer to me. "Baby, you're the most easy-going guy I know. For you to disagree with someone, much less have a full on argument like the one I witnessed, something else _has_ to be going on. Like, why did you and Sookie act like you barely knew each other earlier when it's very obvious that you know each other... quite well." She smirked and flicked her eyes over me, lightly licking her lips as she did so. Ugh. She was a walking fucking cliché. Been there, done her, had no desire to repeat the experience. Especially since I had experienced so much better since then.

"Why the fuck do you care, Heidi?" I asked, speaking slowly to avoid slurring. I looked around for Max, hoping he'd stopped drinking before I did. He was my ride and I wanted to get the fuck out of here.

"You're my friend, Eric. Is it so wrong for me to care about what's going on in your life?" Heidi batted her big brown eyes at me innocently and put her hand on my shoulder. I had to fight not to laugh.

"Heidi, we're not friends. We fucked. Once. And we hang out with the same people. But that doesn't make us friends." I shrugged her hand off me and went back to lean against Max's truck.

"Oh, and _Sookie_ is so close to you? What is it about her that gets all you guys so worked up? I've known her since we were eleven and she's not that fucking special. If she hadn't started showing off the goods last year, you still wouldn't know who the fuck she was." Oh yeah, she was pissed now.

"I don't have to explain or defend anything to _you_. You aren't my keeper, my girlfriend, or anyone else who would have any kind of say about what I do with my life or who I include in it. Run off an play with Isabelle. I'm bored with this conversation." My manners tend to take a vacation when alcohol comes into the picture.

She huffed and gave me the dirtiest look she could muster and stomped off to find her friend. I went back to looking at the black truck across the field, wondering what the hell Sookie had done to me.

**SPOV**

I hopped up on the tailgate next to Preston, keeping the smile on my face, although I didn't feel like it at all. "Sorry about the interruption. I got waylaid on my quest to find water." So, I use big words when I'm nervous or flustered. It could be worse.

"Sookie, what's going on with you and Northman?" he asked me, turning to look me in the eye. Wow, he had really pretty eyes. Nope, Sookie, not what you're here for. Just chill the fuck out.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied. I was pretty sure everyone at the party had seen our little... misunderstanding, even if they hadn't been able to hear what it was about. But I felt guilty that I had invited Preston to this party and had essentially abandoned him to have it out with Eric.

"I'm not blind, Sook. You guys weren't just having a talk about homework." He raised an eyebrow at me, letting me know he was onto my bullshit and didn't appreciate it. "Did you bring me here to make him jealous or something?"

"No! I would never do that. I wanted to hang out with someone here that didn't annoy the crap out of me." His face fell. "No, wait, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I had a really nice time talking to you this afternoon and wanted to get to know you better. I honestly had no idea that Eric would be here. But he was not a factor in me wanting to spend some time with you." I wanted to be as honest as possible, without giving him too much hope or giving too much away.

"Something is there between you two. I didn't know which was more flammable, the bonfire or you two yelling at each other. It seemed like something was going to explode and I would have put even odds on which one. What's going on, Sook?"

"Preston, I'm not big on laying out the details of my personal life to people I've just met. But I'll say that Eric and I _do_ know each other better than we let on when we were introduced earlier tonight. I just didn't want to deal with his bullshit." I felt that was an adequate explanation for someone I'd known all of eight hours, give or take. He nodded. "And not trying to be a total bitch, but any kind of hook-up or something like that isn't going to happen. I like you a lot, Pres, but not like that. Not right now." His puppy eyes were killing me.

We talked a little more before hopping off the tailgate and jumping into the truck to head home. Well, at least to take him home. I wasn't anywhere near ready to go to bed, much less deal with Jason's inquisition. I drove into town and dropped Preston off at his mom's house with a light hug. After seeing that he got in okay, I started driving.

I have no idea what took me there, but I headed for the field by the lake at Daddy's cabin. I pulled the blanket Jason kept behind his seats out of the cab and spread it out on the ground. The night was just cool enough to raise goosebumps when the breeze blew off the water. I pulled off my shoes and enjoyed the feel of the dew on the grass on my toes. With my eyes closed, the sounds of the water lapping at the shore was clearer than usual and relaxed me.

"I thought I might find you here." I opened my eyes and saw Eric kneeling next to me. The sliver of moon made his pale blond hair shimmer and the stars were reflected in his bright blue eyes. I felt my pulse increase, just by his nearness.

"What are you doing out here, Eric?" I asked quietly. This place was magic. Speaking too loudly would spoil it.

He smiled. Not the sarcastic smirk that infuriated me as much as it turned me on, but a true, genuine smile. "This is where you are. So this is where I want to be. We have some unfinished business, Sookie."

I propped myself up on my elbows, still leaning back. "What unfinished business? Why aren't you off letting Heidi 'entertain' you?" I was pissed that she had shooed me off like a child while she was looking at Eric like a piece of steak. And it pissed me off that I had no right to feel that way at all.

"I didn't want Heidi's kind of _entertainment_, if you must know. You've fucking ruined me. Damn it, Sookie." He flopped down on the blanket next to me and looked straight up at the sky. "I don't want anyone else. I still can't get you out of my head. And I want you out. You're a distraction that I can't afford right now. I need to focus on getting out of here and getting to college. But, with the exception of the forty-eight minutes of game time, you consume my thoughts. And I'm sick of it."

Wow. I think that was straight-from-the-soul honesty and I couldn't ask for much more than that. And I can't say that it didn't give me hope and break my heart a little at the same time. I tried to lay my attitude to the side and respond with the same honesty he'd just shown to me. "You scared me. I knew you had all these feelings for me that I didn't know how to return. And then I started falling for you. I mean, like walking off a cliff falling. That scared the shit out of me. This was supposed to be fun, no strings. I started wanting the Goddamn strings and that wasn't part of the plan." I laid back down on my back and stared at the sky like he had been.

"Why not talk to me about it? We were getting to where we wanted the same thing and you chose to fucking blow me off rather than see where this could go. And now, instead of both of us being happy, we're both fucking miserable. Was that part of the plan also?" He could get really sarcastic when he wanted to.

"The plan was no feeling at all! The plan was hot sex with no fucking strings! The plan was playtime with no commitments! And somewhere down the line, the plan got shot all to shit." Yeah, I was fucking bitter. I was pissed too. I didn't like the fact that I had to drag all of this out.

"I got a shotgun rifle and a four-wheel drive, and a country boy can survive. Country folks can survive!" What the fuck? I blinked and felt my hip vibrating and singing Hank Williams, Jr., Jason's personally requested ringtone. Taking a deep breath, I answered. "What's up, Jase?"

"Where the hell are you, sis? You were supposed to be home half an hour ago!"

I checked the clock on the phone, and sure enough, it was half past midnight. Shit. I looked to my side. No one was there. A fucking Goddamn dream. I guess my subconscious knew what I wanted better than I did. I told Jason I was on my way and that I needed to talk to him when I got home.

**EPOV**

I finally dragged Max away from the random semi-hot redneck girl that he was making out with, saying I needed to get back to my car. He got the girl's number and we hopped up into his truck. We were halfway down the rutted road before he threw the number down on his floorboard.

"So what the fuck was going on with you and Stackhouse tonight?" he asked with a smirk and only because he was my friend I kept myself from decking him.

"Nothing. We just had a little argument."

"So she's the one who made you all sparkly last night? It was a good look for you," he said with a little chuckle.

"Not the time, man. Not the fucking time."

"You know, you never said what was going on with you two over the summer. Was it just a fling or something?" When the hell did he get so inquisitive? It was annoying.

"I'm not sober enough to have this conversation, dude."

"Well, you better sober the fuck up soon, cuz we're almost at your car."

"Max, just drive me home. I'll get someone to bring me out to my car tomorrow. I'm in no shape to drive right now."

He obliged and headed toward my house, dropping me off in front of the garage. I punched in the code and walked in. I stripped down and changed into a pair of basketball shorts before I laid down on my bed. I hoped the passing out part came before the room spinning part because that really sucked.

"I wouldn't know. I've never been drunk," a sweet voice said from the foot of my bed.

"What are you doin' here, Sook? Wait, _how_ are you here?" I blinked at her, confused.

"I think you know the answer to both of those questions." She smiled and stretched her legs out nest to mine, crossing them at the ankle. "I'm here because you want me to be. As to how... well, you let me in."

Her sweet demeanor was getting to me. It was too much like she used to be around me and it pissed me off that she didn't act that way anymore. "The hell I did. I came straight back here to pass out. You just showed up."

Her smile widened. I missed that expression. "Well, doesn't that tell you something? I could be anywhere, doing anything, with anyone, yet I'm right here with you. And you? You could be dreaming about football or flying or going at it with Blake Lively. But you're dreaming of me, fully clothed by the way, just sitting on your bed and talking. I think that kinda says something, don't you?"

That was some stuff that my inebriated brain wasn't able to wrap around. My life would be so much easier if I could go back to where I didn't notice her anymore. But she was everywhere. Not a day went by that I didn't see her blond hair, blue eyes, or tanned limbs. Her voice was music that seemed to sooth my soul. Everything about her fascinated me to no end.

"I felt like shit after leaving you in the parking lot the way I did. Although I got a little bit of vindictive pleasure from it too." Since I was aware that this was a dream (her just having told me so), I knew that nothing I said would have consequences, so I just went with it. "You don't know what it felt like for me. I _know_ that you want me just as much as I want you, but for some reason you won't let yourself be with me," I could hear the poutiness in my voice and I cleared my throat, resolving not to let myself sound like a sulky seven-year old again.

She straightened her back and folded her legs underneath her. "I told you why. And I didn't understand why you just couldn't go with it. We would have had all this extra time together, having fun, doing our thing. But the possessive bullshit had to come up. I had to be 'your' something. I don't want to belong to anyone except myself."

"Every guy around would have been going after you and hitting on you otherwise." She opened her mouth to interrupt, but I stopped her with fingers over her lips. "I'm not done. I'm not saying that that would have meant anything or that I didn't trust you. It's everyone else in that damn school that I don't trust. And I can admit that the possessiveness would have come out at some point. No other girl has affected me the way that you have."

She stretched her legs back out again, but wasn't smiling anymore. "That's what I didn't want. It's sweet that you don't want other guys hitting on me, but that's just not realistic. One of my best friends has made it no secret that he wants me, and made a point of flirting even when he had a girlfriend. Thinking that me having a labeled 'boyfriend' would make any difference is just plain naïve. How many girls have you gone after that already had a boyfriend? How big of a difference did that one word ever make to you?"

Damn. She had a point.

She continued. "Just because something is undefined, it doesn't mean it's worth any less than something conventional. What we had worked for us. Fuck anyone who didn't like it."

Dream-Sookie made a lot of sense. And she was a lot more rational and kept her temper a lot better than the real one did. I nodded and laid back down, the dream fading away into a deeper sleep cycle. Before it misted away completely (as Blake Lively walked through the door in red lingerie), her laughing voice rang through my head.

"You still owe me an apology for being a shit about the parking lot, you ass."

**A/N: So hopefully we're making some progress towards these two getting some sense knocked into them. You'll notice that Sookie's dream-Eric and Eric's dream-Sookie didn't give either of them new information, just interpreted what they already knew into something they could comprehend (ie: Eric didn't know that Sookie talked to Alcide about the quickie in the parking lot, so dream-Sookie didn't make any reference to it when referencing Alcide). Hopefully this will hold you over for a few days.**

** Oh! For a few moments of self-pimpage... I finished a one-shot called "Goodbye Bill" before Christmas. It is a Sookie-Bill story, but NOT for Bill fans. It's a very heavy story, but one I'm very proud of. I'm hoping it's been missed because no one wants to read Bill stories (I mean, really, I don't either), but this one... well, if you have a few moments, I hope you guys will check it out and leave me reviews. Like I said in the top A/N, they don't just feed my ego, they inspire too.**


	25. Chapter 24

**A/N: I am so glad to be back on this. I missed these two. Thank you all for the encouragement. Not much else to say on this. Still don't own 'em. Enjoy.**

**SPOV**

I parked Jason's truck in his usual spot. As soon as I cut the engine, The lights on the back porch turned on. Jason was sitting on the swing, smoking, looking pointedly at his watch.

I rolled by eyes and sat next to him. "Would you believe me if I said I fell asleep and lost track of the time?"

He smirked and rolled his eyes right back at me. "You know that's the oldest and lamest excuse ever, right? Besides, who can sleep at a field party? I could hear the damn music from here!"

I grabbed the cigarette from his fingers, ignoring the dirty look he gave me. "I didn't stay at the party. I got annoyed and frustrated, so I took Preston home and went to the lake to chill out. I needed some quiet time to work some things out in my head." I took a drag, exhaled, and handed the smoke back to Jase. Sighing, I continued. "I miss Eric."

Jason chuckled, amused at me predicament, _not_ the reaction I expected from him. "I thought you didn't like him," I said curiously.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. "I'm going to tell you something that if you ever repeat, I'll deny until I take my last breath." I widened my eyes and gestured for him to continue. "I was wrong to judge the guy solely based on rumors and gossip." I gasped and clutched my chest in mock-surprise that my brother was admitting to a fault. He dug his elbow into my ribs. "Hush. I'm not done. Save your shock. I really don't like to admit it, but you were different when you were with him... happier. Now you're all sullen and grumpy when you aren't out-and-out too exhausted to even talk."

I tried to interrupt and say my piece, but he lightly clapped his hand over my mouth to keep me quiet. "He proved to me he was a good guy but doing exactly what you _didn't_ want him to do. I can't think of any guy, especially one with a hound-dog reputation like he has wanting to settle down with one girl. Like you've pointed out numerous times, I had the same reputation... hell, I still do... and you couldn't pay me to give it up. But he only wants you." I furrowed my brow, trying to get where he was going with this. "You gave him a by, right? No commitments or anything?" I nodded. "He didn't want it. That, right there, tells me he would be faithful. If he wasn't interested in being with one girl, why push for the actual relationship?"

I was stunned and I'm pretty sure I looked like I had just been whacked upside the head with a sledgehammer. Jason chuckled again at my expression and handed me a cigarette. "I'm just doing this so you can go over what I'm talking about in your head. I know none of this even occurred to you. But think about it. You know I'm telling you the truth. He defended your honor, sending one of his best friends to the hospital. I talked to Andre." I gasped. I _so_ didn't want to hear this part, but Jason just shook his head. "He didn't get into any details, and I didn't want them. He just said that he's seen you two together when neither of you were expecting it and that he stood up for you then too. Against Dre. You know as well as I do that Dre is a scary motherfucker and that he wasn't intimidated."

Damn. When did Jason get so deep? I just looked up at him, knowing that the question could go unspoken by my eyes. "You've been so busy working and dancing and doing stuff at school that I haven't really had a chance to talk to you; I was only able to see the difference recently. This whole 'staying away' from him thing obviously is making you fucking miserable. I am the last person that I thought would ever say this, but I think you ought to give the guy another chance."

"But what if he doesn't want one? What if this whole thing burned him so he won't give _me_ another chance?" I asked. I didn't know if I could handle his rejection. I already felt hurt by getting ditched in the parking lot. I couldn't imagine how it would feel if I actually made myself vulnerable to him.

"Sook, you have to take a chance sometimes. If you want something, you're not going to get anywhere by waiting for it to fall in your lap."

**EPOV**

I woke up with a raging headache and cottonmouth. Fucking hangovers. It always took one to remind myself why I didn't drink to extremes very often. I drug my sorry ass into the bathroom, drank a huge glass of water, and got into the shower. I felt gross. As the hot water ran over by body, I recalled my dream. I bypassed the playtime with Blake Lively and thought more about the talk with my subconscious Sookie.

Was I punishing her and myself by requiring her to conform to something defined? And when the fuck did I get that deep? I wasn't used to this kind of obsession over a girl. Part of me want to run away from her, get away from what she was doing to me. The other part of me never wanted to be away from her. I needed to talk to her. And, like her dream-self told me, I did need to apologize to her.

I went to the kitchen after getting dressed in my usual khaki cargos and a black wifebeater. I knew I needed some Tylenol and food before I attempted going out. I had to go the the gym this afternoon with the rest of the team to go over game film, but I had most of the day to kill. I fixed myself some pop-tarts and orange juice and sat at the table just thinking.

I thought I might drive by her house, just see if her car was there. Maybe ask her to take a walk with me, give us a chance to talk when we weren't pumped on adrenaline or around our "friends". She and I had always been at our best when it was just me and her.

Now that I had some sort of plan in my head and my hangover seemed to be receding, I got in my car and headed toward Sookie's house. Just a quick drive-by to see if her car was even there. Absolutely no harm in that.

I drove down Hummingbird Lane with my windows down, enjoying the warmth of the day. As I got closer to her house, I heard bass thumping. When I pulled into her driveway, I realized I was so fucked.

_"Come here Rude boy, boy, Can you get it up?  
>Come here Rude boy, boy, Is you big enough?<br>Take it, take it Baby, baby Take it, take it  
>Love me Love me<br>Come here Rude boy, boy, Can you get it up  
>Come here Rude boy, boy, Is you big enough<br>Take it, take it Baby, baby Take it, take it  
>Love me Love me"<em>

She had a boombox in her yard with the volume blaring. She had on a black sports bra and was wearing pink shorts that were smaller than some bathing suit bottoms I'd seen. She was lost in the moves that she was doing on the grass by herself. I got out of the car, leaned against the driver's side door, and just watched her.

_"I like the way You touch me there  
>I like the way You pull my hair<br>Baby, if I don't feel it I ain't faking, No, no  
>I like When you tell me Kiss it there<br>I like When you tell me Move it there _

_ So get it up Time to get it up  
>You say you're a rude boy<br>Show me what you got Now"_

Her body was moving in ways that almost defied physics. I knew for sure that _that_ song wasn't going to be played during halftime, so I wondered what had her practicing to it. You know, when I had little pulses of blood back to my brain long enough for me to have a thought.

She hadn't heard me pull in and her head shot up at the end of the song in surprise when I applauded. She turned that hot shade of pink that never failed to turn me on and slowly walked over. "What are you doing here, Eric?" she asked breathlessly.

"Why were you dancing to that song when there's no way in hell that will be played at a school function?" I asked. I was curious.

She shot me a small smile. "Next week's performance is to Rihanna. I need to get used to dancing to songs with the same beat, but not necessarily the songs we'll be dancing too. It's too easy to put the cues together with the song and not remember the specific routine, so if the song changes, I'm screwed. So we practice to random songs with similar beats to get used to it. Tara told me I should practice that way on my own too. And," she continued with a smirk, "I just love that song for some reason."

Sweat glistened on her skin and it made it a little hard to think. She always had that effect on me. "Umm... I was hoping that you could take a walk with me. Not far, but I had some things I wanted to talk to you about."

Her forehead crinkled as she thought. She pulled a small remote from the waistband of her shorts and stopped the music that had started blaring again from the boombox. Holding up a finger for me to wait, she walked to her porch, dropped off the remote, grabbed a ball of bright red and a huge towel and walked back. As she crossed the grass, she pulled on a tight and faded Crimson Tide cropped t-shirt. "Left over from Dre's Alabama days. I've had it since I was... maybe... twelve, I think? It's on it's last legs, so I use it for working out and practicing." She threw the towel around her shoulders and we set off.

I wasn't complaining. The little bit of material there was left to the T-shirt clung to her every curve and I couldn't help but think about the bits of skin that were covered. I shook my head a little to clear _those_ thoughts out of my head. I really didn't need the loss of blood flow to the brain to screw up what I wanted to say.

**SPOV**

Eric and I walked into the woods behind my house. I had my arms folded over my chest, not in a hostile way, just more for comfort. Eric's arms swung loosely at his side. We got to a shady little clearing next to a small pond and, after laying the towel out to sit on, we sat on the ground, facing each other.

"Before I say anything else, first I want to apologize for the way I treated you the other night. I knew as I said those things that it was wrong, but part of me wanted you to know how I felt when you said similar things to me a few weeks ago. I didn't really mean what I said, so I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Wow. I wasn't expecting that. I had spent the night and most of the morning going over what Jason and I had talked about. I couldn't think of a better person to go to for advice than my big brother and he had helped me out a lot. I was hoping this apology wasn't a segue into him saying he never wanted to see me again, because I finally had an idea of where my head was in regards to him and I was willing to give this thing a chance.

"I appreciate that, Eric. It did hurt me, but I can also understand where you were coming from. But there are some other things we need to talk about. I was actually going to call you when I finished practicing."

His eyes widened with surprise. "I have to say I wouldn't have expected that. I got the most important thing I needed to say out of the way, so what's on your mind?" He leaned back on his elbows and stretched his long legs out so they were right next to mine.

I could feel my face burn with my tell-tale blush and really wished that _that_ particular reflex of mine was weaker. I bit down on my bottom lip nervously before continuing. "I miss you. Despite everything, despite how we acted in the parking lot. Yes, _we_, because you weren't alone there. Despite the fight at the party last night... I have to admit that we were happier together than we have been apart and if my stupid, silly pride is the only thing standing in the way of that, then I just need to get over myself."

His jaw dropped slightly and I had to bite back a giggle. He looked completely stunned and had to swallow a few times before he could respond. "So what exactly are you saying to me, Sookie?"

I pulled my hair down from the bun I had it tied back in and ran my fingers through it. I always played with my hair when I was nervous. "I want us to be together, Eric. I can tell you've been different since we... what ever we did back in August. And it's almost like you've been going out of your way to avoid me." I paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "You defended me to your friends. Not just Bill, but to Thalia too, when she was nasty to me after I made the dance team and she didn't. You always took what I wanted into consideration, even if it was completely contradictory to something that you wanted."

I kept his face in my peripheral vision as I looked down at the ground between my feet. I saw nothing but confusion and astonishment. "How did you come to this decision?" he asked in a soft voice.

I felt my cheeks heat with blush again and ducked my head further. "I went to the lake after I took Preston home. The fight last night really bugged me for some reason and I needed to think some things out. I ended up falling asleep in the grass and Jason woke me up by calling. When I got home, I talked some things out with him."

His face fell and I gave him a grin. "Believe it or not, he kind of talked you up. Said he had talked to Andre and thought over some things he'd heard me say or complain about and those things had convinced him that you were good for me and that I should give you another chance." I looked up at him and met those beautiful blue eyes dead on for the first time. "It's not you that needs another chance; it's me. Is it too late to try this thing over again and see if we can get it right?"

His face beamed a huge smile as he scooted closer to me on the ground. "Sookie, we have tried this every way _except_ the right way. And not a single one of those ways has worked. Otherwise we wouldn't be here. Can I put some requests in now, though? See if we can work this out reasonably?"

I spine stiffened. I almost didn't want to know what he was going to ask, but I calmed myself after a second. He knew me well enough not to make demands. "Sure... whatcha got?"

He scooted even closer. "I want to pick you up and take you home on Tuesdays and Thursdays... at least through football season. Our practices end at the same time and at least we'd be guaranteed some time alone together. I know you have to work Monday and Wednesday nights and Saturday lunches. I have practice every afternoon and team meetings on Sunday nights. We're both incredibly busy, so I don't know when we'd get the chance otherwise. That's all I'm asking for. That, and the possibility of renegotiating when basketball season starts. Both our practice schedules will change then, along with the game schedule. There's no point in even trying this if we can't compromise to make time with each other."

That was it? That's all he was asking for? Hell, I could get on board with that. I hadn't really thought about how overwhelming our schedules were since we split up. I know that was the reason that I had wanted to keep things casual when we started this thing over the summer, but hearing it laid out like that was kind of shocking. We would have to make a _real_ effort to see each other if this was going to work.

"I can live with that. But I have a request too. One night a week, we spend together too. Whether it's an actual date or just hanging out and doing homework or something. A night where it's just you and me."

Scooted closer again. "I couldn't agree more. Maybe your brilliant, AP-class taking self can help me keep my GPA up so I qualify for a scholarship when it gets offered. Any other conditions you want to mention now?"

I closed the gap and straddled his lap. "Nothing I can think of. Anything else you want to put out there?"

"Nah. I'm good on that part." His arms wrapped around my back and he cupped his large hands under my ass, squeezing gently. He brushed his lips across my cheek and the corner of my mouth. "I can only think of one thing I want more than anything else, _Susannah_."

I shivered. Swear to God, no one made my name sound as fucking sinful as he could. I wrapped my arms around his neck and threaded my fingers into his hair. "And what on Earth could that be, Mr. Northman?" I asked in a husky whisper against his ear and felt him shiver also.

"Do you really have to ask?" he groaned against my neck as he pulled my hips forward over his. Damn. It had only been a couple of days since the game and our little parking lot encounter, but it had been far too long since it had been like _this_. He dipped his head down and captured my mouth in a blistering kiss, a kiss that I had missed for weeks.

**EPOV**

Her tiny body was pressed against mine and it felt like all was right in the world once again. My tongue caressed her lips before I slid it between them. Her tongue massaged my own and if could hear her making tiny sighs in my mouth. I had missed this. Missed her. So fucking much.

I broke the kiss when we needed air and immediately attacked her neck, tasting her skin and giving her goosebumps. Her nails ran lightly over my shoulders and arms before giving in completely and grabbing the hem of the shirt and pulling it over my head. I had no problem with that. I always wanted more of my skin to have contact with hers. I returned the favor by pulling off the little cropped Alabama tee off followed by the black sports bra. Every single time they made me pause: the most beautiful tits I had ever seen. _Ever_. But now I was torn because I wanted to cup them and feel her nipples harden in my hands, but her ass felt so good in my hands too. Damn. Decisions, decisions.

I pulled her tight against my hips so she could wrap her legs around my waist. Once we were situated, I started reacquainting my hands, fingers, and mouth with her breasts. She made tiny little gasps and moans and ground her hips against me. I could feel the heat coming off her through our clothes. I wanted her naked, but I also didn't want to rush this.

However, the decision apparently wasn't mine to make. My Sookie was an impatient girl. She lifted her hips to slide back down my legs and busied her hands in unfastening my shorts while I kept making her eyes roll back my strategic attacks on her neck, mouth, and nipples. Once my shorts were undone, she knelt on her knees and shimmied those little short-underwear things down and I saw why I didn't feel or see any panty lines: I wasn't the only one going commando and it was hotter than hell.

I stood up after lifting her off my lap and shed my shorts. I pulled her back to me and kissed her hard. As much as I wanted to take my time with her, I knew that this was going to be fast and intense and we needed it to be that way. We laid back on the towel, her underneath me, with me supporting my weight on my forearms. I couldn't stop kissing her. One of her hands fisted my hair and the other stroked down my back.

I reached down and felt how fucking wet she was and growled. Always. She was always so damn ready for me. I'd been hard since seeing her dance and needed no prep time at all. After lining up, I slid into her slowly. "Oh my God, Sookie, you feel so fucking good," I groaned into her ear.

"Uh-huh, you do too," she panted in return, shifting underneath me. I pulled almost all the way out before plunging back in hard. She cried out and dug her nails into my shoulders. "Oh God, do that again."

I repeated it over and over until both of us were teetering on the edge. "Look at me, Sookie. Look at me," I gasped, trying to get her to open her eyes. Seeing her come was one of the most amazing things I'd seen and I wanted her eyes on me when she did. Once her stormy dark blue eyes met mine, I gave one last deep thrust that had both of us calling each others names. I fell to her side and tried to catch my breath.

She was just looking up at the sky with a dazed look in her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. I turned onto my side and kissed her softly. "No regrets, right?" I had to ask, for my own reassurance.

"Not a single one. Just happy. Just really fucking happy, for the first time in weeks. I'm glad you came over today." She kissed me back and my doubts were erased.

We took our time getting dressed, pausing to kiss or touch each other, making up for the time we had ridiculously lost. Once we were decent again and the towel was wrapped again around her shoulders, I took her hand for the walk back to her house. Once there, she stood at my car door. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" she asked.

"Quick question. Are we limited to one night a week together, or was that a minimum?"I replied. I would get to the school around four for the team meeting, and we would be done by seven. I hadn't had enough of her, by far.

She grinned. "A minimum. Why?"

"I'll be done at seven at the latest tonight. Can I take you out?"

Her face fell a little. "I have to have dinner with my family. They're bitching that they don't get to see me anymore. But, after dinner, I'm free. What were you thinking?"

I gave her another quick kiss before I had to leave. "I'll pick you up at seven-thirty. Dress comfortable."

She nodded with a little laugh. I knew just where I wanted to take her.

**A/N: Would ya look at that? They know how to be reasonable... for once. By the way, can I say once again how much I LOVE this Jason? How awesome of a brother is he? Not to give too much away, but even if _they_ are in happy-happy land, not everyone else is. Please review. As I told you, they inspire and it's like crack. Hope you liked.**


	26. Chapter 25

**A/N: Still jazzed about the response this is getting, especially since I had originally planned, maybe 10-15 chapters when I started this. I kinda fell in love with these two. Let's see how long their happy bubble can last. Not my sandbox; I'm just playing with the toys. All mistakes are all mine, though.**

**SPOV**

We were actually going to try this thing. Who would have thought that we could actually act our age and discuss things like... well, maybe not grown-ups, but at least people with some common fucking sense and maturity. God, I had missed Eric so damn much!

I didn't have the slightest idea what he could possibly be planning for tonight. After he left, I went back to practicing for a little while, then took a long bath with my yummy coconut bubble bath. I exfoliated and shaved until I was smooth and smelled good all over, and braided my damp hair so it would be wavy when I took it down. I pulled on some cutoffs and a t-shirt for dinner; I didn't want the chance of my clumsiness ruining whatever I chose to wear.

I sat down at the table with everyone and blew on my lasagna to cool it off. I looked around for a second and took advantage of the temporary quiet. "So, Eric is taking me out tonight after dinner. I hope that's okay."

Jason smirked, Daddy rolled his eyes, and Mom squealed like a schoolgirl. "Oh, honey! I liked that boy. He remembers your curfew, right?"

I took a small bite to test the temperature. "Yes, ma'am. He will have me home on time, if not before. We both have school tomorrow."

After getting that out of the way, we began our usual chatter about our weeks. Sunday dinner was one of the few times all of us were available and, honestly, I liked catching up with my family. I liked hearing about Jason's job and the guys he worked with on the road crew, or Daddy's days on the farm, or Mom's week at library. We were a diverse family.

After dinner, I went to change into something else. Eric had said to dress comfortable, but there are different degrees of "comfortable". Damn, sometimes being a girl sucks. Finally, I just pulled on some khaki capris and a white sleeveless button down shirt with some brown sandals. There. Comfortable, but still able to be seen in public without embarrassment.

At seven-thirty exactly, I heard the crunch of gravel and practically skipped out to the porch to meet him. God, he looked good. Dark blue jeans and a gray t-shirt. He made the simplest clothes looks just mouthwatering. I couldn't help the grin that split my face when he jogged up the stairs and swung me around in a big hug. He came in and said hi to everyone while I grabbed my phone and pocketbook. He assured my parents I would be home by eleven (my new school-night curfew) and escorted me out the door.

One we were in the Camero and pulling out, I turned to him. "So do I get any hints about what we're doing tonight?"

He grinned and flicked his eyes over at me before returning them to the road. "Nope, this is going to stay a surprise until we get there." He kept grinning; I knew he was excited. I liked having fun Eric back.

We kept driving out of town until we got to the next city over, a much bigger place, about forty-five minutes away. His car started climbing the mountain that rose above the city and I started to smile. "Are we really going where I think we're going?" I asked, unable to keep the excitement out of my voice.

"Mmhmm," he replied, catching a glimpse of my smile.

"But they're closed!" I said.

"Nope... they have a new exhibit of nocturnal animals that just opened. They have some new animals. If what I read was correct, there are a lot of rodents that I don't think either of are really interested in. There's a koala, a couple of foxes, some reptiles, but I think I'll keep the best part a surprise... well, surprises," he said with a grin that matched mine. He slowed as he pulled into the parking lot of the zoo on top of the mountain.

**EPOV**

As soon as I'd seen the ad about the new nocturnal animal exhibit over the summer, I had thought about Sookie. They were showing off some of the new baby animals that had been born in the spring. Unfortunately, we hadn't been speaking at the time, and I really didn't want to go by myself. Sure, I probably could have taken Pam, but I had already had enough "quality time" with my little sister by then.

My mom was suspicious of my new good mood when she and Pam got back before I left for my team meeting at the school. I assured her everything was fine and ignored the winks and leers that Pam was giving me as I wolfed down some quick dinner and headed out the door with a change of clothes. The days were still warm, but the nights were getting cooler, and I wanted to be comfortable.

After the meeting was over, I changed and headed toward Sookie's house. I guess she had told her family about our date, because none of them seemed surprised to see me. Sookie looked like a knockout; her simple khakis and white shirt highlighted her tan and toned little body.

When we got to the zoo, she was practically vibrating with excitement. It was contagious. I knew there were two animals that she would be more excited about than the others, and that was part of my surprise and the main reason I wanted to bring Sookie here. I knew her favorite animals and they were part of the exhibit.

I also knew which animals she hated and the ones she was scared of, so we were bypassing the rat and mouse like things as well as any reptiles. She had told me before if it had scales or didn't have legs, she didn't want it around her. She hated when the fish at the lake would brush her legs as they swam past her and she about passed out when she found a black snake sunning itself on the porch of her dad's cabin. My girl was _petrified_ of snakes.

She cooed over the koala and it's baby, a few small bears, as well as some of the monkeys and foxes. We got the the biggest, and newest enclosures and I took her hand. "These were the surprises," to told her as we entered.

The first area was a heavily wooded area with a little stream running through it. It was behind glass, because it was really too dangerous otherwise. We stepped closer to the window looking. I saw them first and pointed. "Look, over there in the corner. Can you see them?"

She leaned in closer to the glass and gasped. There was a Bengal tiger with three little cubs nuzzled together. The tiger was new to the zoo and had been kept in seclusion while the enclosure was built and she mothered her newborns. Even I had to admit they were cute little things. But I led Sookie over to the next enclosure, knowing this would be the one she would be extremely excited to see.

The habitat of the area was basically the same as the one for the tigers. But the inhabitants were easier to find in the weak light due to their coloring and I didn't have to point them out; she found them before I did.

"Oh! Cougars! I love these! They look like great big house cats! Aren't they pretty?" she breathed. I had discovered her love for this particular animal by pure coincidence; she had a magnetic calendar in her locker with all different pictures of mountain lions. I may have walked by slowly and seen it while she was talking to a friend. Not admitting anything though.

The sleek cat stalked around the enclosure, being followed by four little balls of fluff. I think if she could have, Sookie would have set up camp and watched them all night. Finally, after looking at my watch, I told her that if we were going to make her curfew, we needed to leave.

Once in the car, she was giddy. "I've never seen one up close like that before! I love the big cats, but cougars are my favorite. I don't know what it is about them, but I just love them. And the tigers! The cubs were so cute!" She was breathless and seemed like she couldn't stop smiling. "Thank you, Eric. This was perfect!"

She placed her hand over mine on the gear shift and leaned over to kiss my cheek. It would have to do, since I was driving, but I planned on making up for lost time with her as soon as possible.

**SPOV**

I don't think he could have planned a better date. I don't know how he knew, but I _loved_ the big cats and seeing my favorite cat with its babies... I would have stayed there all night if I could have. Kinda funny that I can't be around regular cats because they make me stop breathing.

I chattered and babbled all the way home, just absolutely giddy from a perfect date. Once we got back to my house, it was about quarter til eleven, I unbuckled my seat belt and turned to him as he cut the engine and turned off the headlights. "I don't know how to thank you for tonight. This was perfect."

He grinned. I was liking that look on him more and more. "I have to say I don't think I've ever done a date like this before. It was fun. Shame we don't have more time together though," he said and wiggled those damn eyebrows.

I laughed. "Sorry, you'll have to remember this afternoon fondly for the next few days. I have to work tomorrow night."

He twisted in his seat until he was facing me. "We still have a few minutes until you have to be inside. Is a little making out out of the question," he asked with puppy-dog eyes. Damn puppy eyes. They always get me.

I leaned over the console of the car and kissed him softly, just letting my lips glide over his at first. I pulled back and looked at him. He had a small smile and his eyes were closed. He was just breathtaking and I could have kicked myself for being so damn stupid. When his eyes opened again, I returned his smile and leaned in again. His arms wrapped around me and he gently pulled me over the console so that I was straddling his lap. He lightly kissed my neck before he returned that talented mouth to mine. My arms were wrapped loosely around his neck while one of his hands rubbed up and down my back and the other was tangled in my hair, moving my head so he could kiss me the way he wanted.

I didn't know if I was thankful or furious when the light by the driveway started flashing on and off. "Damn it," I groaned, pulling back from Eric. I took a few minutes to catch my breath. "I need to go in. See you tomorrow?"

He smirked. "Just try to keep me away."

**EPOV**

I didn't have the slightest idea what to expect when I got to school that Monday morning. As I got dressed, I realized that we _still_ hadn't defined this thing and laughed at myself. I just didn't care about that anymore.

I grabbed some strawberry pop-tarts and a bottle of orange juice and threw them into my backpack while I yelled for Pam to hurry up. She ran though the kitchen, grabbed her own juice and chocolate pop-tarts (yuck, for breakfast?) and ran out to the car. After getting in and buckling her seat belt, she sniffed and wrinkled her nose. "Eww, why does it smell like a tanning salon in here?"

I took a deep breath as we pulled out of the neighborhood, but didn't smell anything unusual or odd. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She pressed her face into the seat back and breathed in. "Ugh. Coconut. Which of your little skanks has been in here? Please tell me you disinfected before I sat down."

I scowled at my little sister. "Not that it's any of your business, but I took Sookie out last night."

Her eyes lit up with mischief. "And what was she doing to make your seats all smelly?"

"Nothing. We went to the zoo. Why do you care?" I rolled my eyes at her.

Her expression softened the slightest bit. "Cuz you've been miserable since you guys broke up last month. It's about time you got your balls back and went after what you wanted."

I huffed out a laugh as we ate our respective breakfasts. As soon as I parked, Pam was off like a shot, joining up with her friends. I saw the blue Cabrio across the parking lot and smiled. This would be interesting.

There were a few other girls standing around her car. Three I recognized as her teammates and a brunette that I remembered from the lake on Sookie's birthday. She turned and saw me, flushed bright pink (officially my new favorite color... at least on her) and gave me a wave to come over. The brunette smirked at her before giving her a hug and walking off while the three girls on the dance squad just stared with wide eyes and slack jaws. Yeah, that was the reaction I had been used to before I met Sookie.

I approached her and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, stooping to give her a kiss on the cheek. She cleared her throat. "Umm... Ginger, Danielle, Belinda, have you guys met Eric?"

Still with dazed expressions, they all shook their heads slowly. I gave them my charming-but-aloof grin before turning to Sookie with a genuine smile. "I think we need to head in. We have just enough time to get to our lockers before class. Which lunch do you have?"

She smiled back at me. "Second. You?"

I frowned, just a little. "First. What time do you get off work tonight?"

"Not until nine. But you're picking me up tomorrow, right?"

We started walking towards the building. "You bet. Hope you don't mind Pam tagging along. She gets a ride home in the afternoon from one of her friends, but she rides with me every morning."

She shivered and pulled me closer. "You'll protect me right? Pam scares me a little."

"Her bark is worse than her bite... although that's not saying much, cuz her bite is pretty bad too," I replied with a laugh. "She won't do anything with me around."

She had to go in a different direction than me to get to her locker. "Call me tonight around nine-thirty. I don't know if I'll get to see you again today." She gave me a quick kiss and ran to get to her locker before first period.

I walked to my locker and was greeted by three very pissed off girls. Heidi, Felicia, and Isabelle stood at my locker looking furious. "Really, Eric? Really? _Her_?" Heidi asked in a tone of utter disdain.

I spun the dial and started putting in my combination. "Yes, her. If you have a problem with it, I suggest you just get the fuck over it," I replied calmly as I opened the door and started getting out books.

"What the hell can you get from her that you can't get anywhere else? I seem to remember you saying that you 'don't do relationships'," Isabelle sneered.

"I _know_ that she isn't fucking anyone I know. I _know_ that she doesn't give a damn what brand jeans I have on. I _know_ that she isn't into me for the boost that I can give to her popularity. Can any one of you say the same thing?" I zipped up my backpack and slammed the locker shut and stared at their stunned faces. "That's what I get from her that I can't get anywhere else. I have to get to class." I turned around and headed off to English, pretty damn satisfied with myself.

Yeah, maybe I should have given a little more thought into pissing them off the way I did.

**A/N: So, anyone still with me? I really don't have a whole hell of a lot to say tonight. Thanks for all the favorites and alerts I have gotten for this twisted little rewriting of personal history. Please review. Pretty please. Critiques and praise or even just a "hi" are all appreciated.**


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N: So glad so many of you are still with me. This is my new baby/addiction. I am having a real love affair with this Sookie. Basically, I wish I had the confidence she has when I was in high school. Then maybe high school wouldn't have been four of the most hellish years of my life. Mean girls are everywhere, and just because their bullying isn't usually physically violent, it still hurts just as much and leaves scars just as deep.**

** Getting off my soapbox, hope you enjoy this. I'm playing with Mrs. Harris' toys, just dressing them in my clothes.**

**SPOV**

The day passed in a semi-haze. I forced myself to pay attention during my AP classes, because they always challenged me, but getting the extra credits out of the way was worth it. Tara cornered me during lunch. "Okay, spill. Now. What the hell was that this morning?"

I grinned at her, then gave her the perfect expression of innocence. "I don't have any idea what you are talking about." We grabbed our burgers and juices and headed out to the grassy patch by the Fine Arts building. I could feel my cheeks burning when she turned her dark gaze on me again.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about. Mr. Tall, Blond, and Gorgeous walking over to you in the parking lot with that shit-eating grin on his face. What exactly was that about?"

I opened my mouth to respond when I heard a growly voice speak up behind me. "Shit, are you still talking about that?"

My smile faded and I spun to face Alcide. "I don't think you were a part of this conversation. Don't talk about things you know _nothing_ about."

"I only know what you told me, _Darlin'_. You mean it's not common knowledge by now?"

I poked his chest. Hard. "Only three people know about that and one of them better keep his fucking mouth shut if he knows what's good for him," I growled back at him. I was regretting my decision to talk to Alcide more and more since his shitty attitude Friday night.

He laughed bitterly. "Honey, if you think that douche hasn't run his mouth to everybody he could find, you don't have the slightest idea who you've been fucking with."

I asked Tara to wait for me for a minute and I dragged Alcide into a corner between the buildings. "I know you have a problem with Eric for some unknown reason, but it existed long before you ever knew me. He came to me yesterday, apologized for the way he acted Friday, and we decided to give this thing a chance. You don't have to like it, but you better fucking respect my decision and my privacy. I admit that it was a mistake to go to you with the issues I was having, but that is a mistake I will _not_ ever make again. So butt out and keep your mouth shut."

He scowled at me and walked away as I turned to go back to Tara. "Sookie, I think you better start at the beginning. I think there's a big part of the story that I'm missing here."

I gave her the rundown on everything that had happened since we parted ways Friday after the game. She was surprised that I had gone to Alcide and paused the conversation to assure me that I could go to her anytime, even if I felt that I was using her as a therapist to work out my messed up love life. I went on to tell her about the argument Eric and I got into at Chester's field party because I had brought Preston with me. She giggled and called me naïve, but let me continue. So I got to the day before, when he apologized, we talked, and decided to give this thing he and I had a chance to see how it worked. She hugged me and wished me luck. We ate the rest of our lunches before heading off to our classes.

I finished the rest of the day and headed off to my car so I could get to work and change before I had to take over tables at four. I found a light pink primrose pinned under my windshield wiper when I got in. I plucked it from it's place and nestled it into my ponytail. Just knowing that he had left that for me made me smile.

I got to Merlotte's and changed into my t-shirt and black shorts before tying on my apron. I came out and made some small talk with Arlene about my weekend after my shift on Saturday. I heard the bell over the door and smiled, ready to take my first table of the afternoon.

Heidi, Isabelle, Thalia, and Felicia filled into a booth and gave me sweet smiles. I smiled back, but wasn't fooled. Heidi, I knew, wanted Eric and I knew there was no love lost between myself and the other girls. They had treated me like I was invisible until I forced them to notice me. "What can I get you guys this afternoon?" I asked.

They looked back and forth between each other. "I think we'll all take ice water, with lemon," Heidi responded, keeping the smile on her face.

I said I would be right back and rolled my eyes as soon as my back was turned. Fortunately, Senior had a rule... no food, no seat. They couldn't take up space with free waters. I filled the plastic tumblers with ice and water and garnished each rim with a slice of lemon. I passed out the cups and placed some wrapped straws on the table. "Ready to order?" I asked and pulled out my ticket book.

Felicia spoke up. "You know, Sookie, the food here is really _not_ healthy. I can't imagine eating here all the time. I'd weigh a _ton_."

I strained to keep the smile on my face at her thinly veiled insult. "Well, it's a good thing I have this insane metabolism that makes it hard for me to gain weight. I love the food here. Maybe I can recommend the steak quesadilla, or the chili cheese fries, and of course, the burgers are out of this world!" I said with enthusiasm.

They all looked slightly revolted, but I just kept smiling waiting for their order. "I think we're going to wait a minute before we order anything."

I turned and went to wait on some other tables that had come in. After delivering their drinks and putting the orders in, I returned to the girls. "Ready?"

They didn't even bother to hide their eye rolls. "I guess we'll split some chips and salsa. That's about the only thing that you guys have that won't cause a coronary after the first bite," Thalia said with a sneer.

"Coming right up," I said with pep and headed off to the kitchen. The chips and salsa was the cheapest appetizer we had, I filled a basket with tortilla chips and a few bowls of salsa, grabbed some of my other orders from the window, and glided across the floor, dropping everything off at their tables. I ran the circuit again refilling drinks and getting everything for customers that came through the doors. By this point, I had it down to an art.

Those damn... hell, I don't even know what to call them, tried everything they could to disrupt my flow. From wanting a different kind of salsa (tough, we only had one kind), to wanting lime instead of lemon with their water (filled a little bowl with lemon _and_ lime slices and left a pitcher of ice water on their table), to wanting potato chips instead of tortilla chips (ran into the kitchen and filled another basket of potato chips... and added the additional side to their bill). Nothing they could do could fluster me though. Senior looked out at me more than once with concern, but I just winked at him, letting him know I had everything under control.

Finally, after two hours (and three pitchers of water), they decided to pay up and leave... stiffing me on a tip, which was _totally_ expected. Fortunately, my regulars and the other customers were pleased with my service and more than made up for it. By nine though, I was close to seventy dollars richer and fricking exhausted. I finished up my side work and punched out. When I got home, I got out of my work clothes, tossing them into the hamper to get clean, and changed into my comfy tank-and-boxer pajamas. I grabbed my backpack and started reading some of the chapters for English that I had to have done by the end of the week while I waited for the phone to ring.

**EPOV**

I smiled when I pinned the flower on Sookie's car. It had sucked going the whole day, know how close she was to me, and not seeing her even once. I headed off the the locker room to get changed for practice and when I headed out to the field, I could see that Sookie's car was already gone from the parking lot. Shaking my head, I focused on what we were going to need to do for the upcoming game.

I considered stopping by the diner on my way home, but the parking lot was filled as I drove by, and I didn't want to distract her if she was busy. I got home and started working on homework, even though I was so tired, my eyes crossed over the pages I was trying to read. To be on the safe side, I set the alarm on my cell phone for nine twenty-five, so I wouldn't forget to call Sookie. I didn't know if I'd be able to stay awake until then.

I came to with the buzzing on table of the alarm going off. I rubbed my eyes, checked the time, and walked into the kitchen to get some water. I went back into my room and called my girl.

"Hey! How was practice today?" greeted me enthusiastically. She was way more awake than I was.

"Good. We have some things we need to work on before Friday, but we should be okay. Are you actually going to watch the game this time?" I teased. If she needed a tutorial on how football worked, I was the perfect teacher.

"I'll certainly try. I have to be in the gym for at least part of the first half, but I will make a dedicated effort to watch the second half. That okay?" I could hear the smile in her voice.

"It'll do," I said in the same tone. "So what song are you guys performing to this week?"

I heard her bed squeak as she changed positions. "I'm not real sure, but I'm pretty sure it's Rihanna. I've been looking, and there are only two songs by her that I've found that are suitable."

"Suitable?" I asked.

"As in, not so suggestive that they wouldn't allow us to play them. But that doesn't keep us from playing with the ones that are... less than appropriate during practice."

"We're gonna need buckets of ice on hand, aren't we?" I remembered the dazed looks of my teammates after last week's performance.

She giggled. "It wouldn't be a horrible idea. Other than practice, how was your day?"

"Same ole, same ole. Nothing really new. How was work?"

She groaned. "Same ole, same ole. Running food and drinks to tables for minimum wage plus tips, which were pretty good tonight, with a single exception."

It sounded like she wanted me to ask. "What was the exception?"

"Uugh. I know they're your friends, and I thought I was okay with Heidi and Felicia, but when they're around Isabelle and Thalia, the four of them are like some evil four-headed monster from mythology or something. They ran me ragged for two hours and stiffed me."

Okay, _that_ pissed me off. I braced myself with a deep breath and told her, "Umm, that might be my fault."

"How could that possibly be _your_ fault,Eric?"

"I kinda told them in very clear and non-complimentary terms why I was with you instead of any of them when they asked this morning. They saw us together and cornered me at my locker."

"Well, it's none of their fuckin' business. Have they ever had a say in who you spent your time with before?" I could hear the venom in her voice and was grateful that it wasn't directed toward me.

"Never have and never will. Look, you know how I was... before, right?"

"Before we met? Not first hand, but I heard enough stories. And although I'm not jazzed about the past, it can't be changed and you've never lied to me when I've asked. So you were with..." she paused, waiting for me to fill in the blank. I stayed quiet and let that speak for itself. "Shit, all of them, right?"

"Yeah. I'm not proud of it, but it's there. All of this was before I met you, though. I don't even think you can call what any of us did 'dating'. As Isabelle reminded me this morning, I told her that I didn't do relationships."

She actually laughed at that. "So this was like a big fucking burn. None of them could get you and keep you... and I did. No wonder they looked like I pissed all over their Cheerios when they came in to Merlotte's after school. I bet that little dig had been eating at them all damn day!"

She actually laughed. She wasn't pissy. She wasn't upset over my former... well, no other word for them, fucks. She wasn't angry that my relationship with her had turned these girls into fucking harpies that no longer ignored her existence. I knew there was a reason I loved this girl... no, wait.

That thought flustered me, so I stuttered to find something to say. "So, um, yeah, how was your day otherwise?"

"Nothing big. Just a day. I need to get to the rest of my homework, though. I'll see you in the morning?"

I smiled again. "Yeah. I'll be there... say, around eight? Expect Pam to be pissy for having to get ready and leave earlier than usual though. She drags ass in the morning."

"Great." I could almost hear her eyes rolling. "Yeah, eight is fine. Don't let me forget to get my gear bag for practice out of my trunk before we leave. Why do I see Tuesdays and Thursdays becoming my favorite days of the week?"

"Cuz they're the only days during the week we're really going to be able to see each other. Do you want to do anything afterward tomorrow?"

I heard her bed squeak again. "Let's not make any plans yet. Let's see what kind of homework is thrown at us first. See if it's even possible first."

"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you in the morning. Oh, by the way," I paused.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"So what are you wearing?"

"Pajamas. Good night, Eric," she said, laughing.

"Night, Sookie."

**SPOV**

For the first time in a long time, I didn't hit the snooze button on my alarm clock. I hopped out of bed, pulled on my robe and practically skipped down to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and some breakfast, freaking out Mom and Jason, who weren't used to seeing me so chipper in the morning. My brother looked at me suspiciously. "Why are you so happy this morning?"

I patted his shoulder as I took my seat. "Eric is taking me to school and bringing me home after practice. I'm just glad I get to spend some time with him after hardly getting to see him yesterday." I sipped my coffee and smiled.

"So I guess the whole ignore-and-try-to-forget-him thing you were gonna try is pretty much shot now, right?" he asked, smirking.

"Yep. That was a stupid plan on my part, so I figured why fight it anymore and see if he and I can actually do this thing."

"So... are you his girlfriend now?" Damn Jason for asking questions.

"Look, we're not defining anything for the moment. He doesn't care. I don't care. We're together and anyone who has a problem with it can take it up with either or both of us." I shrugged and ate some sausage and eggs.

After I ate and cleaned my plate, I ran out to my car and pulled my gear bag out before I forgot it and sat it next to my backpack. I ran back up to my room and got dressed after brushing my teeth and hair. For the first time in a long time, I was ready for school early and I sat on the porch waiting for the red Camero to appear in my driveway. I was apprehensive about Pam's presence, but something told me I needed to get used to it.

When he pulled in, he put the car in park and hopped out to give me a hug. He threw my practice bag and backpack in the trunk while Pam unwillingly got out of the passenger seat and moved to the back, all the while claiming it was unfair. Eric shut her up with one word. "Bus." I had no idea what that was about, but it was certainly effective.

If I thought jaws dropped at Eric walking over to my the morning before, it was _nothing_ compared to the reaction we got from the peanut gallery when I stepped out of his car. Eyes were wide, whispers were passing through the parking lot like a wave, and I ignored it all. I just waited at the back of the car for Eric to grab my book-bag out of the trunk. I was leaving my practice stuff there and would meet up with him after classes so I could get it.

We walked slowly toward the building, knowing that as soon as we got there, we would be parting ways for the rest of the day. Once we got to the corridor where he would go one way and I would go the other, he smirked at me, pulled me close, and gave me a kiss that I would be feeling the rest of the day. Holy Moley, could that boy kiss. I'm pretty sure I just walked off with a glazed expression cuz words weren't gonna cut it right then. I heard him chuckle as he turned to head to his locker.

I made it through the day without any unpleasant encounters with other members of the student body, but I was still worried about how Heidi and Felicia would act during practice. I didn't think anything too extreme would be able to occur under Halleigh's watchful eyes, but it didn't comfort me much. Finally after the final bell, I ran out to Eric's car so I could get my gear and change before practice started. Before I saw him, I heard the "pop" of the trunk opening. I looked around and saw him dangling the remote for his car from one finger as he walked toward me.

"I hoped we had enough time to see each other before practice. Anyone give you any trouble today?" he asked when he reached his car.

"Not a single one. Not that anyone I deal with on a normal basis cares one way or the other. How about you? Did you get cornered by the fearsome foursome today?"

He laughed. "No, they left me alone today, by which I mean they shot me dirty looks like I was betraying them, but they didn't actually _say_ anything. Your practice is over at six, right?"

"Yep. I'll meet you here, right?"

He nodded and gave me a quick kiss before jogging over to the locker rooms as I sprinted to the gym to change. I was immediately surrounded by my three girls in our locker room, wanting details. I just smiled and got into my workout clothes and headed into the gym to warm up.

We jogged a couple of laps around the gym and did some stretches while waiting for the rest of the team to get ready and show up. Now that I was used to it, I found that I loved the physical activity and the feel of my muscles loosening. It was actually relaxing.

Once the whole team was on the floor, Halleigh pulled us into a huddle by her boombox. "Alright, girls, this week is our last home game until Homecoming, so we want to blow the figurative roof off the place. You know I don't give you the song we're performing to until the day of for a reason. If the song gets pulled, you're still prepared. I have some songs cued up that have similar beats, so we're going to work on this week's choreography since we'll have three weeks to work on the Homecoming show. So let's get started!" She clapped her hands and we got into formation in the middle of the floor.

There was no talking by anyone except Halleigh for a good ninety minutes because we went through the moves until we could do them even without the music. Finally, after declaring that we were prepared, we were excused to shower and get back into our street clothes. I was glad there was time to shower, because I was dripping with sweat by the end of practice.

I knew it was coming. Those girls must think I had the sense of a junebug, because their game was obvious, it was a little sad. "So, did I tell you Eric came over and spent Sunday with me since my parents were out of town?" Heidi mock-whispered to Felicia "He took me home after Chester's field party and said that he missed me."

Well, I knew for a _fact_ that Eric hadn't spent Sunday with her because he was with me, but I thought it would be funny to see what she would do in an attempt to get a rise out of me.

She threw a little glance my way to get my reaction, but I focused myself on re-braiding my hair. "He said this other girl was bugging him to be her boyfriend, but you know how Eric is. He would never settle down with one girl when he can have them all."

I smiled thinking just how wrong they were. They didn't know him at all, just the image that he had been cultivating for close to four years. Granted, I hadn't known him for as long as they had, but I would bet my car that I knew him better. I decided that the best reaction to give them would be to deny them a reaction at all and packed up my bag to meet Eric in the parking lot. As I walked out, I caught sight of their shocked and disappointed faces. I had to hide my smirk.

Eric was freshly showered when he met me at the car and _God_ did he smell good. I leaned into him and tried to discreetly sniff him, but he picked up on it. He bent down and gave me a kiss before opening the passenger door for me. I gave a little wave to Heidi and Felicia as they walked out of the gym. He got in and we drove off.

"You know, I'm not really in the mood to head home yet. While it's still warm, you want to head out to the cabin?" I asked. I wanted to spend some q_uality_, alone time with Eric.

He smirked and pulled into the next driveway to turn around and head to the lake. I couldn't get enough of him and I wanted to show him how much.

**A/N: So, yeah, the girls are starting out slowly, but I don't think they're going to be able to go FULL Mean Girl on her because a) Eric won't put up with it, b) she doesn't care what they think of her, c) she has her own group of friends separate from them, and d) her brother is still well-known and wouldn't put up with anyone picking on his baby sister. Doesn't mean they're gonna become best friends though and they will take any chance available to sabotage their relationship. I have to thank you guys big time because not only have you pushed this to over 600 reviews (a new record for me), but there are more and more new readers to this story. I can't tell you how much the alerts and favoriting and reviews mean to me, because we don't get any other kind of compensation for this. Granted, I mainly do this to clean out the cobwebs from my head, but every single review (and alert and favorite notice) is truly appreciated. Thanks again in advance.**


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N: I think this is officially the longest chapter of this story that I've written, and for good reason. Some big things happening with my favorite couple here. I do apologize in my slacker updating. I had another story that took me over when I got stuck on this. Took me awhile to do "Come Undone" (I do love my cowboys) and I have another one that I'm working on. I made myself get this chapter finished. Hope you like. Thanks (_again_) to MissyDee for proofing the first part for me and encouraging me on the rest. I don't own 'em, no matter how much I wish I did.**

**EPOV**

Sookie and I made sporadic small talk during the twenty minute drive to the lake. Neither of us had a whole lot that happened in the past two and a half hours that warranted discussion. I could tell she was anxious over something; her leg wouldn't stop tapping.

As soon as the car was parked, she didn't hesitate. She vaulted over the center console into my lap and kissed me like there was no tomorrow. While I had no problem _at all _with her enthusiasm, I did want to know what brought it on. Hell, I guess it could wait. Thoughts didn't seem to last long when she did that awesome thing with her tongue on my neck. I wasn't capable of anything but physical responses with her grinding against me.

"Jesus Christ, Sookie, you taste so fucking good," I groaned against her neck. I loved that she didn't coat herself in perfume. Her hair smelled like coconuts, but her skin was just _her_. She was so soft under my lips and I couldn't get enough of her.

She pulled away, much to my disappointment, but it was only temporary. She hit the button to pop my trunk and opened my door. She hopped off my lap with enviable ease and grabbed the quilt that I never thought to remove from my car, then took my hand and led me out of the car. "As sexy as your car is, it doesn't exactly give me the range of motion I'm used to working with. Come out here and keep me warm."

She walked backwards - still holding my hand - her hips swaying hypnotically. She released her hold on me to spread out the quilt. Sitting in the center, she beckoned me with her finger and a mischievous grin. When I sat down next to her, she leaned against me and put her head on my shoulder. "I miss you during the day," she mumbled.

"What's going on, Sook?" I asked her, forcing my thoughts away from her breath against my skin. She didn't respond immediately, so I gently pulled back and repeated my question.

She sighed. "It's not really anything I didn't expect. Heidi and Felicia tried to piss me off after practice. Their attempt was pathetic and honestly I expected them to be better at it than they were."

I really didn't know what to say that hadn't been said before, so I settled for just wrapping my arms around her while the sun sank below the horizon. I loved this time of day. I loved hearing the night sounds of insects and the lapping of the water against the little dock. It was relaxing.

I laid back to look at the darkening sky and pulled Sookie down to lay with me. She rested her head on my chest and placed lazy, open-mouthed kisses on my neck. I wanted her so bad it made me a little dizzy. I really didn't want my time with her to come to an end.

I thought about how rare someone like her was in my world: someone who wasn't impressed by the amount of money in my parents' bank account or what kind of car I drove. She didn't give a shit if it was the starting quarterback, the lead in the school play, or a member of the Earth Science Fan Club. She was with me for _who_ I was, not _what_I was. She also knew me better than almost anyone and that scared me a little.

She knew that I really wanted to go to the University of Tennessee, but anywhere in the SEC was acceptable. She also knew that I didn't have the slightest idea of what I wanted to do with my life, because her cousin was proof that a great career in athletics could be cut down in a split second. The fact that I had been a selfish, self-absorbed SOB before I met her was common knowledge, but she was giving me a chance despite it, and didn't hold it against me. She was even able to laugh about it.

No one had ever been that accepting of who I was. Ever. It was an amazing feeling. I didn't have the ability to truly express to her how much that acceptance meant to me. I didn't know how to tell her how much I wanted her and that I realized I was falling in love with her. No one had ever taken me over in the way that she did and it scared the hell out of me.

I rolled onto my side and kissed her. I tried to express everything in that kiss that I didn't have to ability or courage to say out loud. I loved that she was so receptive. Her arms went around my shoulders and wound into my hair, which just felt so damn good. Our tongues wound around each other gently and I just savored the taste of her. We didn't break the kiss until she was wiggling to get out of her t-shirt, so I pulled mine off as well, and pulled her back to me.

**SPOV**

God, I loved being with him like that. Alone, in the peace of the field that we made our own next to the lake, we were able to be ourselves with each other. I realized over the summer that during some of the conversations we'd had that he was slowly letting me in; talking to me about things that no one else knew. I was as forthcoming with him as he was with me, but I was an open book. I had no deep dark secrets and my family was the textbook definition of "functional".

When he kissed me the way he did there lying on the blanket, I felt so many different things. I knew he wanted me; he _always_wanted me. It was just something that I had to accept with him. But there was more, and I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was something I hadn't felt from him before. I didn't want to think it to death; I just wanted to enjoy the time we had before we had to get back to our families and school and the interfering "friends" that felt they could judge us for who we chose to be with.

He stretched out over me and pinned my arms above my head with one hand and looked down at me. Even in the twilight, I could see how dark his eyes got and it made me all shivery inside. He dipped down to kiss me again and fondled one of my breasts over the pretty purple bra that I put on to replace the sports bra that I wore to practice. I loved the feel of his big hands on me and it was a little frustrating that I couldn't touch him back. But the loss of control was also a little exciting.

After making out like that for a little while, he released my arms so he could unfasten his jeans and I worked on mine. It never failed to impress me how good he looked without clothes. There were statues that would be envious of his body. Once both of us were bare, he resumed his position over me, kissing me everywhere. He reached down and tested me with his fingers and they slid into me with ease. He thrust them in a few times and grinned at the moans I made against his chest.

I wasn't in the mood for teasing, so I reached down and stroked him a few times to get him to get on with the show. His grin widened and he positioned himself at my entrance. He slid in smoothly and both of us made happy little sounds once he was all the way in. He started slowly ─ letting my body stretch to accommodate him. God, he felt so damn good inside me.

Once my legs were wrapped around his waist, he started thrusting harder and all I could hear was my heartbeat in my ears and our moans and sighs. He flipped us over so I was on top of him and he used one hand to help guide my hips. His other hand went to my breasts and he pinched and plucked at my nipples until they were almost harder than I could bear. He sat up under me and licked and sucked them, making me whimper. I was in sensation overload.

With his mouth occupied on my boobs and his hips thrusting under me, I was so damn close to my orgasm that I could taste it and I wanted it. He could feel me fluttering around him and I could feel him swelling. He reached down and rubbed tight circles on my clit so I could come before he did. "Jesus Christ!" I screamed out when it finally hit and I heard him groan, "Fuck!" below me. I slumped down and rested my head on his chest while we waited for the little aftershocks to wear off.

He kissed my forehead before rolling us over again so he could get off me and get dressed, but I wasn't quite ready to move, so I stayed on my back and watched him. He looked down at me after he zipped up his jeans. "See something you like, Stackhouse?" he asked with a hint of a laugh in his voice.

I nodded slowly. "I absolutely do, Northman. In fact, it's a damn shame that I have homework that needs to be done and I need to get home or I'd be tempted to go for another round with my favorite toy.

He growled and tried to hide a smile. "Toy?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe toy is the wrong term. But you have to know I love what you do to me, right?"

He was silent for a moment before responding. "Yeah, I think your calls out to a higher power prove that. Come on. You need to get dressed so I can get you home at a decent time."

He helped me to my feet and watched me get dressed, just as I had watched him. He folded up the quilt and, after putting it back in the trunk, opened up the passenger door for me with a silly little bow and a quick kiss.

**EPOV**

The next few weeks went the same way. We met in the parking lot every morning before classes and caught up over the phone on the days she worked; we enjoyed our rides together on the days we had practice. At the next home game, the whole team made it a point to get out of the locker room before the end of halftime and was treated to the dance team dancing to "Don't Stop the Music". Ffffuuuuuccckk! I was grateful for our cups because otherwise the whole team would have been sporting wood when the girls left the field. The ways they could move their bodies was positively sinful and brought out all kinds of impure thoughts. It took some definite work to get my brain back on the game.

The next three Fridays I didn't get to see her because of away games, but we had plans every Saturday after she got off work. We would either hang out at her house or mine, or just spend the day out somewhere. If we had work or school projects to work on, we would do that, but usually we were just happy to spend the time together.

Strangely, Jason and I had gotten to be on friendly terms. He let me know that the threat to hurt me if I hurt Sookie still stood, but he'd changed his opinion that it was a certainty. If Sookie was running late after work on Saturday or was occupied with something that I couldn't help her with, it was nothing to spend some time with Jason and talk sports or play video games. He was a funny guy and I could see that he adored his little sister. I was actually a little envious of their relationship. I couldn't see Pam opening up to me the way Sookie opened up to Jason.

We'd made arrangements for Homecoming. We both were on our class' Homecoming Court. That was nothing new for me; I had been on it every year, but it was a new experience for Sookie. She went out one Sunday and got her dress, but wouldn't let me see it. She just told me it was red and short and grinned, knowing red was my favorite color. I just wondered how long we would have to stay at the dance.

Halftime for the Homecoming game was different. There was no marching band performance. Halftime opened with the dance squad performance to "Circus" that had the stands on their feet. After they were done with the performance came the presentation of the various class courts. Sookie came out with the junior class princesses, still all glittery and in her dance uniform of a little long-sleeved top that showed her stomach and some skin tight pants that came to mid-calf. Two other princesses in her class were wearing the same uniform, but I only had eyes for her.

Only one of the senior class princesses was not in a dance squad or cheerleading uniform ─ that was no surprise. The same four girls had been princesses every year. Thalia, Isabelle, Heidi, and Felicia ─ worst fucking nightmare. Bill, Max, and Clancy were the other guys on the court with me. After presentation of the courts, Homecoming Queen and King were announced. I hated this. The King and Queen were always from the senior class.

I wasn't surprised at all to hear my name announced as King, but kept the fake smile on my face when Heidi was announced as Queen. I saw Sookie's eyes narrow, but she knew I had no choice in the decision as I escorted Heidi off the field.

The girls hadn't stopped their tactics to try to get between Sookie and me. It got to the point where I had to agree with Sookie's initial assessment: sour grapes. None of them were able to hold my attention and Sookie and I had been together for over two months, if you counted our time in the summer ─ which I did. They couldn't do anything outright malicious, but tried to start some rumors that I squashed immediately.

I drove Sookie home after the game and we made plans for the following day. She already had the day off work and would be getting ready with her friend Tara. When I picked her up for dinner, I was stunned speechless. Ugh. Red. One shoulder strap. All kinds of floaty layers made up the skirt and she had sparkly silver heel-sandal shoes. She looked fucking amazing. I decided to go away from the typical roses for a corsage and smirked at her expression when she saw the solid red orchid that I found. Even I had to admit that the bloom looked a little obscene and her face was close to matching the color of her dress. She made herself stop blushing so her mom could take the requisite pictures and we headed to a little seafood restaurant before we headed to the dance.

**SPOV**

I had a blast getting ready for the dance with Tara, just like we did for prom. However, she went back to her house to get picked up by JB and I waited for Eric to pick me up at home. He wasn't in a tux like prom, but the dark gray suit, white shirt, and red tie looked so damn good on him; if his expression when I opened the door wasn't a compliment, I don't know what would be.

He held out the flower for my corsage, and at first glance I thought it was very pretty and a nice departure from a red rose; it smelled like heaven. Then I looked closer. For fucks sake. The orchid he got me looked like lady bits, and judging by his smirk he damn well knew it. I had to wear a vagina bloom on my wrist for the whole night. I forced myself to stop blushing so Mom could take her damn pictures and we went out to eat.

We talked about the game the previous night and he gave me an idea of what to expect at the dance, since the only one I had ever been to was the prom the spring before. The courts were presented at the dance, just like they were at the game. When the senior court was presented, Eric and Heidi would have to dance since they were the King and Queen. As much as I didn't like it, I accepted it. I warned him that I would probably be pestered by JB for a dance or two. He just nodded, accepting that JB was my friend and absolutely harmless.

Everyone's eyes were on us when we came into the gym, which was decorated in royal blue and black. Just like with prom, we got little candle favors with the theme "Stand by Me". I looked up at Eric with a smirk. "At least the theme for this dance isn't a song about a one-night stand." He cracked up and led me into the main room after we handed over our tickets.

We did normal school dance things. We milled around and socialized with friends, which for me was mainly Tara and the three girls from the dance squad that I got along with and didn't want to alienate me because of my relationship with Eric. Every time a slow song played, Eric grabbed me around the waist and made me dance with him. _Like I was going to argue_. Any excuse to have my body and his together was good enough for me.

Sure enough, about half way through, the DJ asked for the floor to be cleared for the presentation of the class courts. Eric gave me a quick kiss before he went to go stand with the other seniors. Ugh. My escort for the presentation was a guy in my class named Barry who I didn't know from Adam. He was on the student council and had a very pompous way of speaking. I just tried to ignore him and hoped for this thing to finish as quickly as possible.

I couldn't help but smile when Eric was re-crowned Homecoming King, but dimmed when Heidi came up next to him and clutched his arm, looking up at him like he was her personal savior. Ugh. If I ever look at anyone in such a simpering manner, shoot me. Heidi and Eric started, then the rest of the court joined in dancing to the theme of the dance. Thankfully it was a short song and as soon as the last note played; Eric released Heidi and came back to me. If looks could kill, I would have been in a casket by the time he reached me.

Since we met our obligation by being present for the crowning B.S., we were free to leave. Eric said he had everything for the rest of the evening planned. My parents expected us to go to some after-dance event and weren't expecting me until late (or early, depending on your definition of two thirty am). He drove away from school in the direction of his house.

"Pam is spending the night with one of her friends and Mom is working the graveyard shift again, so we have the house to ourselves," he said, clasping my hand and holding it in his lap. He didn't need to mention where his father was going to be. It had been the subject of several of our conversations.

He pulled into his driveway and hit the button on the garage door opener that was clipped to his visor. He turned off the car and came around to the passenger side to open my door for me and to give me a hand getting out of the low bucket seat. After hitting the button to set the alarm on his car, he led me into the dark house, a small smile playing on his beautiful mouth.

He took me directly to his bedroom without any pretenses. He stripped off his suit jacket and took off his tie, laying them over the chair for his desk. I slid off the evil sandals that looked _so_ pretty, but hurt my feet _so _bad. He unbuttoned his shirt and sat next to me. I could tell he was trying to look at ease and his usual confident self, but the tension in his jaw was throwing it off.

**EPOV**

I needed to tell her. It was getting harder and harder to keep it to myself. She deserved to know, even if she wasn't in the same place as I was. But I was stressed. I don't think I had uttered those words to someone who hadn't given birth to me. Ever.

After getting more comfortable in my room, I sat next to Sookie on the bed. She looked at me, and I could tell from her expression that I looked a little "off". I cleared my throat. I had no idea how things like this were supposed to go.

"Sookie, tonight was amazing. Aside from having to dance to that one song with Heidi, I couldn't have had a better time. I just wanted you to know that I am so glad that we decided to give this thing another chance."

She smiled that amazing smile that did all kinds of weird things to my stomach. "I had a great time too and I'm glad we're doing this 'thing' also. I just hate that my stubbornness kept us apart for so long." Her smile faltered a little. "I know it sounds silly, but can you forgive me for that?"

I leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the lips, not wanting to get derailed. "It's already been forgiven, Sook. You weren't the only stubborn one. But we're past all that now, right?" I asked, needing some sort of reassurance before I made my big confession.

Her eyes were soft when they looked into mine, their beautiful shade of blue looking brighter because of the dress she was wearing. "Of course we're past that. It was a sucky learning experience, but at least we learned we're happier together than we are apart. Now why don't you come over here and give me a proper kiss?"

I chuckled. "Not just yet. There's something else I need to tell you and I don't want to do it later." I had already made the decision that I didn't want to tell her during or after sex. It would seem like heat of the moment or just a reaction and I wanted her to know that I meant it. I held her face in my hands and looked right in her eyes. "Sookie, I'm falling in love with you."

Her eyes widened, but she stayed silent for too long for me to stay comfortable. "Sook, say something. Please. I'm dying here."

She blinked a few times, processing, I guess. "I'm sorry, because I'm not really sure I heard you right."

I cleared my throat. "I said, Sookie, I'm falling in love with you."

She nodded slowly. "That was what I thought you said." She was still too quiet, but she didn't look upset. "You aren't going to be upset or hurt if I'm not quite there yet, right?"

I shook my head. "I never thought you were. But I wanted you to know how I feel about you."

She leaned in and kissed me hard. "Thank you for telling me. It means a lot to me that you would tell me even if I can't reciprocate right now. Thank you for your honesty."

I returned her kiss enthusiastically. "I'll always be honest with you, Sookie. Always."

Her hands slid up my chest and over my shoulders, removing my shirt. "We have a few hours to kill until I have to be home and apparently an empty house. What are we going to with all that unoccupied time?"

I reached around her back and slowly lowered the zipper of her dress. "I think this is a start. I want to take the time tonight to properly make love to my _girlfriend_," I said, waiting to see if she still objected to the term.

She just smiled and slid the single strap down her arm. "That sounds like the best idea I've heard all night." Standing, the dress slipped down to the floor and she stood in front of me in the most amazing red lace strapless bra and panties that I had ever seen, dream or not. I was temporarily speechless with how incredible she looked. It took all the willpower that I had not to pounce on her. I wanted to take as much time as possible to show her how much she meant to me, it being one of the few nights we didn't have any unreasonable time constraints.

She lowered herself so she was straddling my lap and leaned in and kissed me softly. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. She ran her fingers through my hair as she continued to place small kisses on my lips and neck. I reciprocated, angling one way to kiss her when she would lean in the opposite way. Our bodies moved in harmony.

The lace was rough against my skin and I wanted to get rid of that barrier between us. I reached behind her and unclasped her bra, tossing it on the floor to join her dress. I didn't want to remove my lips from hers, but my hands met her breasts, just cupping them, enjoying their weight in my palms. She made breathy little sighs in my mouth and against my neck.

She threaded the fingers of one hand into my hair, lightly scraping my scalp with her nails; I almost purred with the shiver it gave me. Her other hand lightly ran up and down my spine. For the moment, we were just fine feeling skin against skin and being alone and together.

My fingers started playing with her nipples, light pinches and before long I couldn't keep my mouth away from them. I loved the taste of her skin and the feel of her hard buds against my lips. Her sighs escalated to soft moans and I felt like I couldn't touch her enough. She apparently felt the same, since she scooted backwards off my lap to her feet, pulling me up with her.

Her nimble fingers unfastened my pants quickly and let them drop to the floor. She turned us around and knelt on the bed, making our heights more even, although she was still slightly shorter than me. No longer content to just kiss my mouth, her lips traveled across my jaw to my ear, where she lightly nipped on my earlobe and plucked the skin of my neck. She kissed her way down my body very attentively, engaging her tongue and teeth as needed to get her desired reaction from me, be it a sigh, moan, or growl. She knew my pleasure spots well and had no problem at all in hitting those buttons.

I was harder than I could remember. No one ever excited me the way she was able to and I wanted nothing more than to be inside her. But she was in control and was going to do things her way. Her hand found my cock and started slowly, softly stroking. I was so worked up, I feared I was going to come in her hand like a thirteen-year old with a Playboy, but she knew when to back off to let me calm down.

She slid off the bed to her knees in front of me and kissed the head of my dick, her tongue coming out to swirl around the tip. She kissed along my length, her hand never stilling. She looking up at me to make sure I was watching her... like I would want to look anywhere else. She opened her sweet, hot mouth and started sucking and licking me, moaning. Fuck, the vibrations _that_ caused almost embarrassed me. I tightened the grip I had on her hair, not wanting to hurt her, but also not wanting her to stop. Her eyes never left mine, although mine rolled back in my head more than once. One hand gripped my hip for balance; the other pumped me in time to her mouth and I felt the tight coil of my orgasm in my stomach. I wouldn't be able to last much longer. I could feel her as her lips tugged into a small smile around me in response to my moans, liking my response to her giving me pleasure. She knew my rebound rate and I knew she wouldn't stop until I came. When I told her I was getting close, tugging her hair just bit harder than I had been, she just increased her efforts and took me further into her mouth so I was hitting the back of her throat. I was done. I threw my head back as I came, groaning her name as her head bobbed while I softened and her tongue cleaned me before she released me from her mouth.

My head was spinning, but I wouldn't let that deter me. I could get my bearings back while I worked on Sookie, wanting her to feel as good as she made me. I helped her to her feet and slid the insanely hot red lace panties down her legs. I took a moment to look over her naked body. "God, Sookie, you are so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?"

She gave me the shy smile she always gave me when I complimented her. "I think we're both lucky." She kissed my chest and lightly raked her teeth over my nipple, making me shiver again.

I picked her up and deposited her on the bed with her head on the pillows. Instead of hovering over her or kissing her again, I sat at the end of the bed and put her feet in my lap. She had been wincing and I didn't miss the look of relief on her face when she took those sexy heels off. They had to be killing her feet, so I picked up her right foot and dug my thumbs into the balls of her feet, massaging them. She smiled at me in her surprise, then closed her eyes and moaned. I loved being able to make her make that sound, no matter how I accomplished it. I picked up her left foot and repeated the process until she assured me that her feet were pain free, but other parts of her were getting uncomfortable.

I grinned, loving how open she was with me. She had no problems telling me what she wanted and that was a just another refreshing difference from any other girl that I had been with. I stretched out beside her and turned her onto her side so I could kiss her some more. My hands roamed her bare skin loving how silky she always felt and pulled her closer to me.

Her nipples were hard against my chest and her breathing was just shy of panting. "Please, Eric, I want you so bad right now," she gasped into my mouth.

I let her lie back and kissed my way down her body slowly. I licked, sucked and kissed over her breasts, making her squirm just a little more while I took my time reaching my ultimate destination. I placed light, fluttery kisses on her stomach and over her hips before I reached her mound. I ran my fingertips through her soaking wet folds, heard her moan, and smiled to myself. I dipped by head down and followed my fingers with the tip of my tongue. Her hands fisted the sheets and her back arched under me.

I used my left arm to hold down her hips and used my right hand to hold her open for my tongue. Tracing little patterns over her clit, I heard her breathing stutter. I was already hard again, but I was determined that she would come by either my fingers or tongue before I did anything else. I slid two fingers into her tight opening and heard her moan again, only louder. I added a third and thrust them slowly in and out of her, finding that secret spot on each pass, making her gasp each time. All the while, I never stopped my tongue's assault on her nub, sucking, licking making her cry out. I thrust my fingers in again and put some concentrated pressure on her g-spot while sucking on her clit and she screamed. I had never heard her come like that, and I removed my fingers to taste her juices. Still like fucking peaches. Every single time and it amazed me.

I slid back up her body and waited for her to come down before I slid my aching cock into her, savoring the pulsing of her aftershocks around me. "Sookie, look at me," I whispered into her neck, peppering her with tiny nips and kisses. Her eyes fluttered open and she gave me the same sweet, shy smile from earlier. I could lose myself in those stormy blue eyes of hers. I didn't want to make this hard and fast. I wanted to take my time and draw it out as long as I could, but my hormones were trying to overrule my goal, and she just felt so damn good.

She lifted her hips and wrapped her legs around my waist, making it even harder. The angle of her hips let me go deep and I groaned with feeling her so hot and tight around me. I braced my weight with one arm and cradled the back of her head with the other. Our hips moved in harmony, but I couldn't stop kissing her, feeling her tongue on mine, her teeth nipping at my lip, her hand tangled in my hair holding me to her.

Her breathing picked up again and her hold in my hair tightened. She broke the kiss and gasped against my cheek. "Don't stop. I'm so close. Please don't stop." I picked up the pace of my thrusts, switching my grasp to her hips. Her hands grabbed onto the sheets again and I felt her walls squeeze and pulse around me. Wanting to try something, I didn't let up. I was too close to stop. I keep pumping into her and her back arched even higher off the bed and her mouth was open in a silent scream. She was coming again and the feeling of her clenching down on me even tighter than before was so amazing, I was coming harder than I thought I could and called out her name like a chant.

She collapsed back onto the mattress, completely spent, and I fell next to her and wrapped my arms around her, not wanting to _not_ touch her. She rested her head on my shoulder while I ran my fingers though her hair and pressed kisses into the top of her head.

"Eric," she said, slightly breathlessly, "I really want to say something, but I feel like if I do right now, because of everything we've just done, you'll think I don't mean it."

That alone told me what I thought she wanted to say, and I kissed the top of her head again. "Sookie, you can tell me anything you want. When you say something doesn't matter. Just tell me what you want to say."

She tilted her head up and looked into my eyes. "I'm not going to say that I'm in love with you, because I'm just not there yet. But I am falling, and harder than I ever thought I would. You surprise me every day and I think I might be able to say to you what you said to me earlier sooner than either of us think."

Amazingly, that was enough for me. There were very few things in my life that I had had to work for and she was one of them. She was worth every bit of work. She meant more to me than I had ever expected her to, and I had no plans on letting her go anytime soon.

**A/N: Like I said, some major things happened here, right? I have some ideas for where I want this to go, but it might take awhile for me to get it straight in my head. I do have some foreshadowing in here, but it's subtle. Thanks for all the favorite alerts and for the reviews. Seriously BLOWN AWAY by the love for this crazy couple. Please let me know what you think!**


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N: Yet another apology from yours truly for the shameful lapses in time between posts. I know it's been for-freaking-ever, but my only excuse is that when my personal life turns to shit, my muses go into comas. It's unfortunate, but true. Anyway, no more whining from me. ReefChic7 beta'ed this monster for me. She's awesome and more at the bottom. I don't own 'em, just pawn my angst onto them.**

**EPOV**

The rest of the fall went normally. Sookie and I couldn't have been better. If I'm really honest, we were one of those couples that made others nauseous. If I were on the outside looking in, I would have mocked us. We finished out football season with only one game in the loss column; her dance team had been to competitions and were gearing up to go to state cheer/dance team finals for the state. She was killing herself trying to keep up with everything and have time for me too. I could finally see where the logic behind her decision was coming from over the summer, but I still felt victorious in that battle. I let her know that she didn't need to work so hard, that I would be there for her when she needed me, but she was an all-or-nothing kind of girl.

Before the end of fall, when the temperatures really starting dropping, she talked me into coming to one of her friend Tara's camp-outs. I had, of course, already met my girlfriend's best friend, but I never had the privilege of being invited to a bonfire in the field. I was apprehensive, seeing as how I never interacted with this group before. Until Sookie, I pretty much openly mocked at least one of her friends and I still had a not-so-secret dislike of that Alcide fucker. But for her, I would make an effort.

I drove her to Tara's house after the game on Friday. Since we had been together, she had made an effort to actively watch the second half of the games and got me to explain what she didn't understand if she chose to watch college games with me on Saturdays. She was a quick study too. She said she could understand why I wanted to be drafted by the SEC over any other conference. I smiled at her when she explained her understanding, because of the apparent weakness and roller-coaster strengths of conferences like the ACC and Big East, at least in football. I was proud of my girl.

Fortunately, the road into the field wasn't pitted and rutted like the one to the river and my car was able to navigate it smoothly. As I got closer, I could smell the smoke from the campfire and saw a tent already pitched. Tara looked up as she struggled with a second one. Without being asked, I parked the car and hopped out, jogging over to help her.

"Hey guys. It's not going to be all of us tonight. When I told Tray about the new addition, Alcide bowed out. Amelia has some kind of cold or flu that her herbs aren't taking care of so she's out too. I think Tray's just going to drop off JB and some goodies for later, but it's just going to be four of us. That okay?" she asked.

I could tell with a glance that Sookie was relieved that Alcide wasn't going to be there, so I smiled. "It's fine with me. A calm, relaxing night in front of the fire sounds great." I actually honestly liked Tara. She and Sookie were a lot alike, their drive and perfectionist tendencies. Sookie had taken me to one of Tara's dance recitals and I suddenly knew who had helped Sookie get onto the dance team. She was amazing in her own right. She was funny and smart, sharing the AP classes with Sookie. They complimented each other perfectly, but weren't identical, or clones of each other, like other girls I knew.

Sookie and I helped Tara set up the second tent and grabbed some of the jumbo skewers from the box of supplies by the fire. We were all toasting marshmallows when the headlights of a Jeep bounced up the little road. Tray parked, but didn't turn the engine off. JB got a big hug and kiss from Tara and a smaller hug from Sookie, who turned and gave Tray a quick hug around one of his tree branch-sized arms. He gave her a small smile and passed something from his hand to hers. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before he said goodbye to everyone and drove off.

We resettled around the fire, coupled off, but all of us interacting. Tara and JB were cute together, but for the life of me, I couldn't see what a smart girl like her saw in the guy. He seemed dumber than a box of rocks. She could have done better, but it wasn't my place to say. Sookie smirked up at me during the conversations, almost as if she could hear my thoughts.

Sookie passed out the joints that Tray handed off to her. I knew she got high occasionally, but hadn't seen her that way since the most fucked-up field party I'd ever been to. Not to say that I _never_ smoked, but it was definitely more of an off-season activity for me. Almost as if she sensed my apprehension, she lowered the joint from her lips. "You don't have to if you don't want. It's just been a hard-as-hell few weeks for me and I want to zone out a little bit. Do you mind?"

I found it a little unsettling that she thought she needed to ask. This was something that she enjoyed before we got together and I would never ask her to give something up for me. That wasn't part of our deal. I knew how hard she had been working, trying to keep up with everything. I told her honestly that it didn't bother me, but I was bowing out of partaking. I knew there were a few schools that did random testing before scholarships were offered and the last thing I wanted was to be denied because of a stupid lapse of judgment.

She nodded and settled between my legs, her back against my chest. She rocked side to side a little in time to the music that Tara was playing, some poppy, borderline country stuff that I couldn't understand how anyone liked. When she finished, she grabbed us bottles of water from the small cooler that I hadn't noticed before. She sat back down and leaned back into me. "I'm sorry if this is boring. I know this isn't like parties that you're used to, but this is me. I'm used to my little circle of friends and our low-key get-togethers."

"Sook, shut up. This is fine. I like being here with you way more than drinking shit beer in a house full of near-strangers having to put on a show." I nuzzled her neck with my chin and she both sighed and giggled. "I get to be myself around you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I think I do. You've been doing a damn fine job of letting me know it, too. You don't act around me the same way you do around everyone else you hang around with. When I see you from a distance with your teammates or any of those tricks that you used to fuck, even your posture is different. You look like the same cocky asshole that I almost didn't give a chance to. I'm glad you let me in." I was pleased to see, despite the lidded eyes and the way her body was slumped against mine, she was still reasonably coherent.

The girls got giggly munchies a little bit later and charged JB and I with making smores while they danced. That was a bad combination: trying to keep our attention on the fire while our girls were moving their bodies. The music didn't really matter; when Sookie moved, my vision tunneled. I turned my back to her so I could keep focused on the job at hand. We managed to fix a pretty good stockpile of the treats that Tara and Sookie descended on like vultures.

After the munchies were sated, she led me back into one of the tents. I guessed the social part of the evening was over. I heard Tara giggle as she and JB headed in the opposite direction. I unrolled the sleeping bags and zipped them together so instead of two, it was one big one. She changed into pajama pants and a tank top, stalling my actions. "What? It's nothing you've never seen before," she said when she noticed me staring.

I finished getting the bags together and pulled her to me. "I've seen every bit of you and I still love looking. You know you're beautiful, right?"

She snuggled in closer to me. "I know you think I am, and that's all that matters. You're pretty hot yourself, Northman."

I started undressing. "Actually, I'm pretty cold, but I think you can warm me up, Stackhouse." We slid into the converted sleeping bag and cuddled up together. "What's with the clothes? Don't you know it's easier to stay warm if there's skin-on-skin contact?"

She smiled with her face pressed against my chest. "I think I might have heard that somewhere before. You want to help me get suitably undressed? Purely for survival purposes, of course. No funny business."

I slid my hands up her sides, pulling the tank top up with them. Her skin was always so soft and smooth and I couldn't resist following my hands with my lips. She sighed and squirmed, giggling a little when I hit her few ticklish spots.

We cuddled and made out until we were both to tired to stay awake any longer. Considering everything we'd done in the past, it was an innocent night by our standards. But we both had had strenuous evenings on the game field and I was more than fine with just wrapping her bare body in my arms and sleeping with her, literally. She was perfect for me. I was completely in love with her.

I didn't know how I was going to handle leaving in less than a year.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**SPOV**

We made it through the rest of the fall and Eric had to switch gears quickly. He had no transition time between football and basketball season. I had my own transition to get used to when my practice schedule changed along with his. Since there were more basketball games than football games and they had a more irregular schedule than the football team, I know Halleigh had a hell of a time trying to put a schedule together for us, not to mention the sheer number of new routines we had to learn. I finally told Senior that I would only be able to work the Saturday shift until the spring when the season was over. Thank God we didn't perform at baseball games.

It felt like I was getting buried. I loved the dance team, but I truly hadn't realized the amount of time it required. I kept up with my duties on the paper, but I also had first semester finals coming up and SATs weren't too far in the future. I would have loved to takes some prep classes to get me ready for those, but after my activities, job, and regular homework and studying, there just wasn't any time left over.

I knew Eric was starting to feel a little neglected, so I really tried to fit in time together. Even if it was just being in the same room while we studied or did homework, it was still _something_. He had his own obligations that he needed to take care of, and maybe it was just a matter of perspective, but it started to seem like we just never had _enough_ time together.

One Sunday afternoon, he came by unexpectedly. He walked up to my room, removed the AP English book that I was reading from my hands, and pulled me off my bed without saying a word, ignoring my protests. He opened the passenger door to his car, let me sit, and came around to the driver's side. Backing out of my driveway, he still didn't say anything. About halfway into the drive, I figured we were heading to his house and started to relax a little. I knew where he was going, if not what he was doing.

We entered through the kitchen and I managed a rushed "Hi" to Pam and Eric's mom Trena, who stared, surprised at my appearance. Still silent, he pulled me down the hall into his room and closed to door behind him. "Can you tell me why I just had to greet them in my PJ's?" I asked, not entirely happy with this whole silent treatment.

"I needed some time alone with you. We're busy as fuck right now and I don't want to get used to not having you to myself sometimes."

I thought about that. He had a very good point. "I know, baby, and I don't like it any more than you do. But you know we're not doing anything back here that would traumatize your mother or sister to walk in on, right?"

He smirked, seemingly in a better mood at least. "I'm pretty sure they both know I'm not a virgin, and since we've been together now for..." he paused to think about it, "counting the summer, about five or six months, I'm positive they know that we have been _together_. But, no, that wasn't in my plans for today. My only goal was relaxation and avoidance of anything resembling work. We're going to chill back here, watch a couple of movies, and forget the rest of the rest of the world exists for a few hours. I've already cleared it with your parents."

My eyes widened. "My parents knew you were kidnapping me?"

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Yep. You're all mine until seven tonight." It was only one-thirty, so I was jazzed, but a little worried about all that I still had to do. "Don't fall into your head, Sook. Let yourself relax. You need it with all the shit that you've been doing."

He pulled me onto his bed and got into position. He propped some pillows behind his back and let me lean back against him. Grabbing the remote, he flipped though the movie channels and found something mindless that was just starting.

I don't remember what it was, because I fell asleep before the opening credits were over. And, being the best boyfriend ever, he let me sleep, even though I know he had to be bored. When I woke up, I was curled on my side with my head resting on his chest. He had taken my hair down from it's lazy day ponytail and was running his fingers through the strands. I nuzzled his chest sleepily with my face and looked up at him. "Sorry for crashing on you."

He shrugged. "You must have needed it. You just missed Bruce Willis saving the world. Nothing unusual."

I snickered. "He does seem to do that a lot, doesn't he? Except when he's dead and doesn't know it, counseling a little kid that can see him."

He huffed and tried to hide his smile. "Well, now you've just ruined that whole movie for me."

I turned over and wrapped my arms around his. "Sorry for that. I should have 'spoiler alert' flash on my forehead when I say shit like that. Besides, I know for a fact that you've already seen that movie cuz I watched it with you."

He chuckled and started flipping around to find another movie, but we didn't end up watching that either. I didn't let myself forget that his mom and sister were in the house and we managed to keep everything PG-13. I was missing more of our NC-17 stuff, but this was nice for the moment, until things calmed down a little.

Taking a break to catch our breath, I said something I'd been meaning to for awhile. "I wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten what you said to me at Homecoming, even though we don't talk about it all that much. We aren't really those kind of people. And with everything going on for both of us, it's been rough. But..." I paused to summon my courage. "Eric, I'm in love with you."

His eyes lit up, even in the dim room, and he smiled before pressing his lips to my forehead. "Not that I mind, but what brought this on?"

"Well, I've wanted to tell you for awhile, but the timing never seemed right. I didn't really want to just blurt it out... kind of like I just did... but we were always rushing around and not really getting to spend any good time together. I didn't want to tell you while we were both sweaty and exhausted after practice or in the middle of doing homework. This just seemed like the perfect time. As to when I knew... I can't really pinpoint an exact time, but around the time of the camp-out. Seeing you relaxed and able to chill with my friends was a big thing for me. It helped me realize how much you've opened up for me, and there's not a single thing that I've seen since we got together that I don't like. I mean... there are _so_ many good things about you that no one knows, because you have this whole cocky facade that you're _really_ good at, but that's not really you. It's the you that only I get to see that I've fallen for and I thought you should know."

He smiled and started kissing me again. I'd missed being alone with him for so long that it was hard to remember to keep things innocent-ish when his sneaky hands would grab my ass or slide up my shirt. But we managed. Time flew and before either of us were ready, he needed to get me back home.

When he pulled into my driveway, he kept me from getting out of the car. "Sook, we need to make it a point to do this more often. I know we're both busy as fuck, but if we're going to make a run of this, we need to take advantage of the little times we can get."

I nodded. "You're right. You know I tend to overwhelm myself, thinking about everything that's on my plate. I needed this today. Thank you for abducting me."

He gave me a quick, but thoroughly satisfying kiss. "You're welcome. I'll see you in the morning. I'm driving you to school this week since our schedules line up." Leave it to him to think of that.

"I'll see you at eight then. Love you," I tossed out before I jumped out of the car and headed to the front door. I saw a huge smile on his face again before he put the car in reverse and left.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

**EPOV**

We made it though the holidays without incident. We had little arguments that every couple has, but nothing terrible. I gave her my class ring on my birthday, right before Thanksgiving, that she wore on a thin gold chain since there was no way that it would ever fit on any of her little fingers. With Mom's help, I found a silver locket to give her for Christmas and put a picture of us from Homecoming inside. She gave me a Saints jersey personalized with my number and name.

Valentine's Day was amazing. I'd never done the "girlfriend" thing before, much less celebrated the holiday. I was kind of clueless as to what the protocol was, but by the smile on her face, I hadn't completely failed with the flowers and card that I picked out for her. We also had reservations for dinner, since it was a rare evening that neither of us were booked _and_ didn't have any obligations the following morning. If I had my way, it was going to be a long night. It had been far too long since I'd had Sookie completely to myself, in a lot of ways.

We ate dinner at the same restaurant we'd been to before we went to Homecoming. It was busy, as expected, but not annoyingly so. After we finished and I paid the check, I wanted to continue the night, but didn't have the slightest idea of where we could go. It was too cold to take advantage of our field at the lake, and it was just plain creepy to go to either of our houses with family in a neighboring room. Sookie smiled at my frustrated expression.

"If I give you directions, can you follow them and not ask any questions?" she asked, with the wicked little grin that always made me hard.

"Just give me enough time to make the turns, and we'll be good," I assured her.

She had me drive down all kinds of twisty back roads before having me turn into a long, unpaved driveway. I drove through what seemed like miles of cleared fields before the road started climbing. And climbing. When I thought the hills would never end, at the peak of the road was a little log cabin with a wall of windows looking out over the mountains that surrounded us. "Sook, this is amazing!" I told her, looking at the vista illuminated by the full moon.

She nodded, looking around with me. "This is Jason and Andre's little getaway. They'll come up here to go hunting or spend a few days with a girl... although that's more Andre's thing than Jase, since he can't stick to one and he doesn't want them to intrude on his personal space. Anyway," she continued, shaking her head to clear that thought away, "Jase gave me his keys after clearing it with Andre. I think you can take that as a clear sign that he likes you now," she said with a smile. "But let's get inside cuz it's freaking freezing right now."

She unlocked the door on the side of the cabin and showed me around. It was fairly simple. The first level was a kitchen and living room with a fireplace and huge TV (solely for football games during hunting season, Sookie explained); the second level was a loft that overlooked the living room with two king sized beds and a full bath. It was pretty much a bachelor's dream, provided he didn't mind the isolation.

She pulled me up the stairs, toward one of the beds. "Can I just tell you how crazy it is that we have gone _this_ long without one of us getting pinned into a dark corner and screwing each other's brains out?" she mumbled against my chest while trying to unbutton my shirt.

I tried to do the count in my head and it had been more than a month. That was unheard of, not just for us, but for me personally. I slid the zipper of her dress down her back and grinned at the little _whoosh_ sound it made as it fell from her body to land on the floor at her feet. She finished getting my shirt undone and I shucked it from my shoulders and stood back to look at her. While I had, from the moment I first _really_ saw her, appreciated her body, I could look at her and tell how it had changed since she started the dance team. She was leaner, but still had the curves that she was proud of and that made my mouth water. Her limbs were more toned, her legs especially, and I wanted nothing more than to touch, kiss, and nibble every inch of her.

As her fingers ran over my chest, her eyes lidded when she looked up at me. She had a way of looking hungry for me that made me feel so many things at once. I truly believed that she had been meant for me to find. I pulled her back to me and leaned down to kiss her hard. Her arms wrapped around my neck and held me close. I nibbled down her neck and marveled again at how just her skin managed to hold the sweetness of summer peaches, even in the middle of winter.

She gave a shaky sigh against me and reached down to unbuckle my belt. I was wearing too many clothes and she sought to remedy that immediately. I toed off my shoes at the same time she let my pants drop to the floor and picked her up. The bed across the room was a little too far away in my opinion, but I was able to close the gap in a few hurried steps.

I sat on the edge of the bed with Sookie standing between my knees. She reached behind her back and let the little black strapless bra she wore under her dress drop. The matching bikini panties were so tiny... they covered almost nothing. I leaned forward and took one of her hard pink nipples between my lips and rolled it lightly with my teeth, making her breath shudder even more. I cupped her other one and mimicked the actions of my mouth with my fingers. She gasped and groaned, holding my head to her like she never wanted to let me go. I loved when she got like that.

I sucked and nibbled around her breasts, just savoring the taste of her skin while she panted against me. She pulled her head up to kiss me again. "Eric, I love that you dig the foreplay, but it's been too long. I need you in me. Now."

I knew exactly how she felt. I didn't want to wait any longer than necessary. I slid her tiny little panties down her legs and let my fingers skim through her folds. Her eyes rolled back a little and I sucked the wetness from my fingers. I loved how she was always ready for me. Still standing, she reached between us and stroked me. She loved how I was always ready for her.

I pulled her down so she straddled my legs. Her hips ground against mine restlessly and she attacked my mouth with hers. I twisted so I was laying stretched out down the length of the bed. She grabbed my hands and braced herself by pinning them next to my head, never breaking the kiss. She lifted slightly and slid down onto me. I couldn't help but moan at how hot and tight she felt around my cock. "Oh God, Eric..." she whimpered.

"I know. Give me a minute. It's been too long," I groaned back at her, trying to keep myself from coming before her. I had never been a one-minute man and I wasn't about to start, but she felt too damn good. I tried everything I could keep calm myself down.

I looked up at her, watching her chest heave with deep breaths, her teeth bite down on her lower lip, and marveled again at how I was able to get such an amazing girl to love me. Unable to hold back any longer, I thrust up slowly. Sookie's hips rolled as I pulled down and both of us moaned at the sensation. I continued slowly, wanting to last as long as I could, knowing it would never be as long as I wanted.

The longer we lasted, the harder her hips pitched. I could feel she was as close as I was and damned if I would come before her. I reached between us and stroked her clit, wanting to feel her walls flutter and her thighs shake the way they always did when she was about to go over, and I didn't have to wait long. I sped up my thrusts in time with my finger and was rewarded with my name being cried in a hoarse voice. I came right after her and pulled her down on top of me, holding her body to mine.

"We can't wait that long again, you know?" I gasped at her breathlessly. My fingers ran up and down her spine lightly, smiling against her neck at the goosebumps it gave her.

"Oh, I know," she agreed. "I've missed this so damn much." She looked up at me with her stormy blue eyes and grinned. "It's a good thing that we don't have anywhere to be for the rest of the night. Mom and Daddy know I'm spending the night with Ginger after our date, so they aren't expecting me home at all. You never have a curfew, Mr. Independent, so I wonder what we can do to wear each other out further."

We spent the rest of the night proving that any time we weren't fucking was time wasted. I repeated to her that I loved her and she told me many times that she loved me. When morning came, I was almost sorry to see the amazing sunrise over the mountains. I didn't know that things were going to change so soon.

**A/N: Yes, I'm leaving it there for the time being. I have been told that FF is cleansing their site of MA rated fanfic. I don't think I have anything that could be rated below that, so, as a safety, I have started a WordPress site under the same author name (ali989969{dot}wordpress{dot}com) with the AMAZING help of ReefChic. I'm still in the process of setting it up in whatever spare time I manage to have, but feel free to check it out. Nothing new is there yet, but there will be if I get cut for content from here. I look forward to the reviews blasting me for the cliffie, but I have to have fun in my life somewhere. This is where I get it for the time being.**


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N: So, I know it's disgraceful the amount of time there is between updates. It amazes me that this idea struck me almost a year ago. This is **_**FAR**_** from where I ever imagined it going. And I have to thank you guys for that. The encouragement is beyond amazing. I was a little apprehensive about this chapter, but MissyDee and Reefchic7 helped me chill out. Eric stopped talking to me, so almost all of this is Sookie's POV. He's not happy with me. I can't say I blame him. Hope you enjoy… the characters are Charlaine's; I'm just making them do things differently than I did.**

* * *

><p><strong>EPOV<strong>

March came and went. With the beginning of April, life seemed to get back to normal. Since basketball season ended, life for me was pretty free and easy. Sookie went back to working her former schedule of Monday and Wednesday afternoons, with occasional Saturdays. She still had random practices with the dance team since they would be in competitions until May. She had taken her SATs, we both got into a more regular schedule, and, all-in-all, life was good.

The afternoon everything started to change was burned into my memory. I saw Sookie off to work from the parking lot and headed home. On the kitchen table were two large manila envelopes addressed to me. My heart stuttered as I checked the return addresses. The first was from Tuscaloosa. Okay, University of Alabama. I looked at the second one. Knoxville. Oh God… University of Tennessee. I ripped open the Alabama one, wanting to delay my gratification… or disappointment.

I was in. I was accepted to the University of Alabama with a partial scholarship dependent on me playing football. I closed my eyes and sank into a chair in relief. I was going to college.

With my heart in my throat, I opened the envelope from Knoxville. Oh. Christ. I was in there too with the same offer as Alabama. I couldn't help the celebratory yell I whooped that echoed through the empty house. I was going to fucking Tennessee!

I wanted to call Sookie, but I knew that Senior didn't like his staff on the phone while they were on the clock. Pam was at play practice. Mom was on call in the ER until the next day and only God knew if Dad would come home at all.  
>I needed to share my news with someone. Not wanting to distract Sookie, I headed over to her house. I could hang out with Jason until she came home. I was relieved to see his pickup in the driveway. I was bursting to tell <em>someone <em>my news, but it wouldn't be right to tell Jason before Sookie. I left the envelopes from Knoxville and Tuscaloosa in my passenger seat and knocked on the door, knowing that Jase would be thrilled to have someone play Madden with for a few hours until his sister was off work.

**SPOV**

I was surprised to see the red Camaro in the driveway when I pulled in after my shift. I racked my brain trying to remember if Eric and I had plans. I didn't think so, and I couldn't think of any other reason he would be at my house waiting for me. I knew he and Jason were getting along, but I didn't think they were at the "hanging out" stage.

As I passed his car, I saw two envelopes in the passenger seat. It was nosy, but I couldn't resist. Every kid who has applied to college knows what envelopes that size mean. The little ones are rejections; the giant manila ones are acceptances. I saw the logos in the upper left hand corners. Alabama and Tennessee. He got into both.  
>For a moment, I wanted to head back to my car and forget I had ever seen those envelopes. I would be able to fake surprise when Eric told me, but more than that, I wanted to be able to ignore or forget what those letters of acceptance meant.<p>

I took a deep breath and steeled myself for his news. I plastered a big fake smile on my face and greeted everyone as I walked through the door. Mom was cleaning up the kitchen from dinner and Jason, Daddy, and Eric were all watching Sportscenter. I could appreciate certain aspects of sports after being to several games, but I could not understand the appeal of three hours of random updates and on sports like golf, rugby, and cricket. It amused me that poker games were shown on ESPN. Being able to bluff and bet was _not_ a sport.

Eric shot to his feet and he saw me with a gigantic smile on his face. God only knew how long he had been waiting for me to get home. As soon as I was in grabbing distance, he pulled me up the stairs to my room, with Mom shouting the "door open" rule behind us.

I grabbed some pajamas from my dresser and excused myself to take a quick shower to get the smell of grease off me before we talked. Fifteen minutes later, clean and comfortable in my jammies, I rejoined Eric in my room so he could tell me his news.

He sat at my desk and straddled the chair backwards, facing the bed. While I was showering, he must have run tohis car and gotten the letters because those vile envelopes were sitting on my desk behind him. He gave me his panty-evaporating grin and held the letters out to me for read.

After reading what the letters had to say, I found I was actually happy for him. He been able to achieve something he told me he'd wanted since he started playing Pee-Wee football in elementary school. What kind of evil, heartless bitch would I have to be to shove _my_ unhappiness over his success onto him, effectively shitting on his dreams and making him feel bad about something he was obviously proud of. I gave him the most genuine smile I could muster.  
>"Eric, this is great! I'm so happy for you, and proud of you too! I know you were hoping for Tennessee; were you expecting Alabama too?"<p>

His smile matched the brightness of mine, but wasn't forced. "I knew scouts from Tuscaloosa had been to some of the games, as well as Tennessee. I won't be surprised if I get letters from Raleigh or Blacksburg either, but you know I've had my heart set on an SEC school."

I did know that. I learned all about the different conferences on Saturdays and Thursday nights during the fall. I could appreciate the differences, and I knew why he preferred one conference over another, but all of it only meant one thing since he started getting acceptance letters: he was going to be leaving.

Since I really only had a little while left to do my homework before I needed to get some sleep, I congratulated him as many times as I could before I walked him back out to his car and kissed him goodnight. When I came back in, I bypassed the curious looks of my family and rushed back up to my room and closed to door. Try as I might, I wasn't able to keep the pages of my history text from blurring through the tears that flooded my eyes, and I felt stupid. I knew this was coming. I had known for a while. I just hadn't let myself realize how close it was.

I rested my forehead on my arms as I bent over my desk. I remembered how I felt when Rasul left the previous spring and knew that this would be about a thousand times harder than seeing him board a flight for Spain. I hadn't loved Rasul. I hadn't let myself, because I knew that things between us were going to end when they started. This was different in so many ways. I let myself fall for Eric. I was angry at myself for that. I had known better. As I mused over my own stupidity, I heard a soft knock at my door. Without waiting for a response, my brother slipped into my room and closed the door behind him. He wasn't surprised by my tear-streaked cheeks.

"So what was he so determined to tell you? He got here just after I did and was bound to wait for you to get home to tell you something. Said that he got some news that he wanted to share with you first. Is this going to be something I need to chase him down and beat his ass for?"

I shook my head emphatically. "No Jase. It was good news. Really. He got acceptances from Alabama and Tennessee earlier today. You know as well as I do that Tennessee is his dream school. He wanted to tell me that he got in with a scholarship offer."

Jason's face split in a huge grin. "Well, damn! Good for him." Then he registered the misery evident on my face. "Oh shit, Sook…" he trailed off.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "Shit. He's going to be leaving in four months. How the hell am I supposed to deal with that?"  
>He wrapped a strong arm around my shoulders and let me rest my head on his shoulder. "I wish I could help you out. I never had to deal with this. I don't know if you were old enough to remember Desiree."<p>

"Dre's girlfriend when he graduated? I vaguely remember her," I nodded. She had been a tiny little thing, especially compared to my giant cousin. They had been together since the beginning of her freshman year, Andre's sophomore. "Yeah… whatever happened to her?"

Jason shrugged. "Tuscaloosa was too far away. Dre was willing to try the long distance thing, but she wasn't. She wanted something more than occasional holidays and seeing him only on TV on the weekends. She dumped him the summer before he left and started going out with Malcolm the same weekend he moved."

While I could understand her motivations, I couldn't imagine doing that to Eric and I told him so. "I don't want to do that. I just don't think I'm capable of hurting him like that." I may not have remembered too much about the girl that did it, but I certainly remembered Andre's heartbreak after it happened. "But I don't think I want to try the long distance thing either. It would be too hard. It wouldn't just be for this year…"

"Sook, what's going on?" Jason looked at me suspiciously.

"I haven't said anything to anyone yet, because I'm not sure how I feel about it… but..."

"Oh shit, you ain't pregnant, are ya? I _am_ gonna beat his ass!" His drawl always came out when he got worried or emotional. He stood up and looked ready to storm out of the house.

I had to chuckle and pulled him back down to sit again. "No, Jason, you're not, because I'm not. You should know that I'm more responsible than that. No, I… um… I kind of applied Early Decision to Northwestern for their journalism program… and I got in."

He stood again and wrapped me in a huge hug. "I'm so damn proud of you," he almost yelled before I shushed him, reminding him that no one else, including our parents, knew yet. "So what does that mean?"

"It means that in less than a year and a half, I'll be moving to Chicago. More than five hundred miles away from Knoxville. More than nine hours driving time. Almost seven hundred miles and more than twelve hours driving time from here. I'm not exactly going to be able to take little weekend trips home or to visit him. Hell, with what his schedule is going to be like, since his scholarship will depend on football, I wouldn't count on him being able to spare time for me anyway."

Jason thought about that while I ran to the kitchen to get a glass of ice water. I gave up on any attempt to finish my homework and just resolved to get up earlier than usual to do it before school. When I returned to my room, my big brother gave me another huge hug. "The way I see it Sook, you have a decision to make. First, are you even willing to try a long distance relationship? Nothing guarantees that it will work, but it's an option. Second, if you aren't, do you want to enjoy the time you have left together or end it now?" He flipped my lamp off as I crawled under the covers. "Oh, and you better tell Momma and Daddy about the Northwestern thing as soon as you wake up, because I don't know how long I'll be able to keep that quiet."

My dreams that night were more like nightmares. I dreamed that Eric went off to Knoxville and became the big football star that he always wanted to be. With me so far away, he fell back into his old routines and took advantage of the numerous women that would surely throw themselves at him. What appeal could a little nerd like me possibly have for a guy that only had to crook his finger and have any girl that he wanted? So many faceless, nameless groupies flitted in and out of his dream bed in my mind that I woke up with my cheeks drenched by tears I had cried in my sleep.

I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep anymore, so I floated to my bathroom to splash some cold water on my face to fully wake up and relieve the redness and swelling around my eyes. Since had a few hours before even Daddy would wake up, I forced myself to get back to the homework I had put off. About halfway through my assignments, I heard the heavy footsteps downstairs alerting me to the fact that my father was awake. I finished up the English test prep I was working on and drifted into the kitchen for an early breakfast.

"Hey, sugar. What are you doing up so early?" Daddy's deep voice asked and I could hear the smile in his words. It was rare that he would see me out of bed at this time of morning.

I poured myself a mug of coffee and sat at the table. "Oh, I just didn't sleep very well. I've been up for a while. I heard you up and moving and wanted a little company. Do you know when Momma is getting up?"

I heard lighter footsteps in the hall. "I'm up now, sweetheart. What has you looking like you're about to jump out of your skin. You haven't had enough coffee to do that yet."

"Well… um… I have a couple of things to tell you guys." I cleared my throat needlessly and waited for them to sit across from me. "So, the reason that Eric was here last night… he wanted to let me know that he had been accepted to both University of Tennessee and University of Alabama with football scholarships."

Daddy clapped his hands together once and smiled. "Well, I'll be. He's a good kid. I'm proud of him. Tell him so when you see him. What's the other thing?"

I was nervous about telling Momma and Daddy about Northwestern. It was so far away, but they had one of the best Journalism/Communication programs in the country. "Now, I did this just on a whim and I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think anything would come of it, but I applied to Northwestern Early Decision. I figured I'd be turned down and I'd have a whole year to apply to other schools… but they already accepted me."

My parents looked at me with identical stunned looks. Momma was the first to come back to herself enough to ask a question. "Chicago, Sookie? Do you really have to go that far away?"

"Hush, Shell. I think she has more to say," Daddy interjected and I was grateful.

I went on to tell them my reason, the only one that really mattered: the prestigious communications school that I would be honored to have a degree from. They had known since I was little that I wanted to be a writer. That had never changed, but my focus shifted from fiction to journalism once I joined the staff of the high school paper. I liked the challenge of writing objectively, especially since I was rarely someone who hid her opinion about anything. We talked about it a little more. While they were proud of me, and knew that Gran and Gramps had set up college funds for all us grandkids when we were babies, they begged me not to make any concrete decision yet.

I told them the deadline of when I had to either accept or decline the Early Decision acceptance and let them know I had some time to decide. I finished my coffee and went to shower before Jason woke up. I dressed and returned to the kitchen for breakfast. While talking about my own collegiate future with my parents had been exciting, I couldn't help but feel my depression return when I thought of the dream that had woken me up so early.

I wished that had been the kind of dream that erases itself from memory as soon as you fully wake up, but it clearly wasn't granted. I mechanically ate my biscuits and gravy and gathered together my books and papers from my room. Numbly, I put my stuff in my car and headed for school.

It was proof how messed up the dream made me when I parked and realized that, since I didn't have either practice or work today, Eric would be showing up at my house any minute. _Fuck_. I didn't have enough time to turn around and drive back. The only thing I could hope was that my parents or brother would tell him I drove myself and I could explain myself when he met me in the parking lot.

I leaned against my car and waited… and waited… and waited. I saw Trena's dark green Explorer pull into the drop off queue to let Pam off at the sidewalk. I went to meet her before she got lost in the crowd as her mom pulled away.

"Where's Eric," I asked, trying to be casual.

She rolled her eyes. "Daddy came home last night and heard Eric's news. He decided to congratulate him by taking him on a 'Guy's Only' trip. I don't know where they went or what they're doing, so don't ask." She seemed very bitter, but Eric and I had already talked about his issues with his dad. I wasn't about to talk about them with his little sister if he hadn't.

"I had no idea. I'm glad I drove myself today. Do you know when they'll be back?"

She headed off in the direction of her locker, on a different floor than the one mine was on. "Supposedly Sunday, but no guarantees. I'm sure he'll call you when he can." She said nothing else before heading up the stairs, leaving me looking at her back blankly.

It was unlike Eric to take off, especially with his father, and VERY unlike him not to let me know. Not even a text message or voice mail from him when I checked my phone before turning it off. Maybe I should get used to it now. In the near future, he would be gone and what I was doing would have no impact on his decisions whatsoever. Maybe this was what I needed. Some time away from him to help clear my head and decide what I really wanted.

**A/N: Just as a reminder, I am on Wordpress now, under the same pen-name. Nothing new has been posted there, story wise, but it's a nice outlet for me to vent. And I do. A lot. As always, reviews are love and I get ideas from you guys that may make updates come a little faster. I cherish every favorite, alert, and review notice I get, but it sure would make going into work a little better if my inbox were full.**


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N: Not a whole lot to say. Reefchic7 worked her magic on this, despite the epic frustration that was Google docs today. She's the awesomest. I have been sick as a dog for the past week and a half... maybe sudafed and Puffs plus have combined to revive this muse. Who knows? Since Sookie had most of the last chapter, I let Eric have a turn here. Not mine, although I sure wish at least one of them was...**

**EPOV**

I sat at my kitchen table, still in awe over the letters I received. I was going to Tennessee! The reality of being accepted to my dream school hadn't quite sunk in. I told Pam my news when she got home from play practice, and she accepted it with her usual nonchalance. I knew, as the time got closer for me to leave, her emotions would creep closer to the surface.

I was still puzzled over Sookie's reaction. I knew her well enough by that point to tell that her enthusiasm was forced. I had no idea why she couldn't really be happy for me, but her smiles didn't reach her eyes. Even her kisses felt held back. I didn't know why, but it really pissed me off.

Still stewing in my frustration, I heard the front door open and close. Mom never got home early when she worked in the ER. I was confused - who would just walk in without knocking? That alone was proof that it had been a long time since I'd seen my dad.

Both Pam and I got our blond hair and blue eyes from Bryan Michael Northman, but I also received his height in the genetic mix. I was a thirty-year younger, one inch taller clone of my dad. The resemblances meant little-to-nothing to me - he made the choice to mentally and physically check-out of family life by the time both Pam and I were in grade school.

Dad treated us like trophies meant to be shown off when it benefited him. As if playing a part on a championship-winning football and basketball teams or putting in the work for multiple stage performances were _his_ accomplishments rather than ours. He only cared about what we did when it reflected on him and his last name.

Mom, on the other hand, worked her ass off at the hospital and loved her job as a nurse with a passion. Pam and I hardly saw her unless she got a rare day shift. My personal feeling was she actually preferred the evening and overnight shifts. They kept her from having to spend nights alone in our big empty house and from having to deal with her kids. It was a small miracle that Pam and I survived for as long as we had – we'd been raising ourselves from the time we were tall enough to reach the microwave to nuke our dinner and old enough to remember to lock the door behind us when we got home from school.

So it was a shock to see my dad's large frame enter the kitchen from the living room a few minutes later. He had a huge, indulgent smile on his face. "Pam told me your news. Tennessee _and_ Alabama! I'm so proud of you!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands on my shoulders from behind me.

As much as I hated to admit it, as much as I didn't want to care what he thought, hearing him tell me that I'd made him proud made my spine straighten with a rare feeling of self-worth. I knew that part of me would always strive for his approval and I hated that fact. He moved from behind me to sit in the chair next to mine and held his hand out, silently demanding the acceptance letters for his perusal.

After reading, he met my eyes. "Pam also says that you have your heart set on going to Knoxville. I think basing your college choice solely on your favorite football team is irresponsible. You need to take the time to visit the campuses and see if the school is a place where you can see yourself _off_ the playing field," he lectured in his deep voice, commanding respect from word one.

He was right. I knew nothing about Knoxville or Tennessee except for its general area in the country and what the football team was like. I knew roughly the same about Alabama and Tuscaloosa. It wouldn't be a horrible idea to visit the campuses before making what could be the biggest decision of my life, the one that my future would be based on. Dad grinned at my expression and continued. "Who else has scouted you?"

I thought about various reps that I had met throughout the season in the fall. "Virginia Tech and UNC, definitely. I think I remember University of Georgia or South Carolina being in the mix somewhere. They all kind of blurred together by the end of the season." Even if the man was a hard ass, on and off the field, Coach Quinn did his best to get his players noticed when it mattered.

Dad stood up and brushed some imaginary dirt off his hands on his pants. "I have an idea. Go pack a bag for a few nights. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning and check out schools until Sunday. We're going to finally spend some time together before you leave me alone with just the women," he added with a chuckle. Like his ass would ever be home. "There isn't anything you'll be missing anyway; your senior year is almost done. A few days isn't going to keep you from graduating. Don't you guys get some days to tour campuses anyway?"

Yes, our school excused up to five days for seniors who took time off to visit colleges. Most kids took the trips in the fall before applying. It wouldn't hurt to have a few days off from school to consider my options. I was morbidly curious as to what six days in a car/hotel/tour group with my dad would be like. It would be the most time he and I ever spent alone together.

But most of all, I was excited. I was getting out of this tiny town and exploring greener pastures. I always knew I would, one way or another. I packed a duffle bag with jeans, t-shirts, shorts, underwear, socks and shoes before getting some of my toiletries from the bathroom. I could hear Dad rustling around in his and Mom's room doing the same. I went out and told Pam what was going on so she could let Mom know, if Dad wasn't able to get hold of her in the ER.

I forced myself to sleep, since we would be leaving early. I was so excited about the trip that I didn't even think once about the fact that I was supposed to pick up Sookie for school the next morning. Sleep came easily, once I was able to clear my mind, but it was restless. When I woke up before my alarm, I couldn't remember much of the dream that had me tossing and turning. Flashes of long, wavy blond hair rolling around in a field by the water with a dark haired guy haunted me. I was pretty sure what my subconscious was trying to tell me, but I was going to ignore it. I didn't want to think about _that_ before I left for six days.

After showering and gathering the rest of my bathroom stuff to pack, I dressed comfortably and grabbed my duffel to meet Dad in the kitchen. He greeted me with a grin as he filled his travel mug with coffee and tossed me a bottle of orange juice from the fridge. He instructed me to throw my bag in the trunk of his Jag, or as I called the overrated convertible - the Midlife-crisis-mobile. I nodded my understanding and did as he said. It wasn't like the car was uncomfortable, just ostentatious.

He joined me with his own bag a few minutes later and soon after, we were on the road. While we headed for the interstate, he caught me up to speed on his plans. _His_, because he was the one in charge of _my_ future, right? "I thought we'd make a circle. Six days to visit six campuses. We'll start at Virginia Tech since that's closest. Tonight or early tomorrow, we'll make our way to Knoxville, then Tuscaloosa, Athens, Columbia, and finish up on Sunday at Chapel Hill. I made some calls last night after our talk and got in touch with someone in the admissions department in Blacksburg. They'll have someone to take us on a tour when we get there."

I tried to be accepting of the way he was railroading and taking charge of everything. I just held my tongue and stayed silent, the way he preferred his children. He continued to talk about the benefits of different colleges (as he saw them), never once asking what I wanted.

Between home and Virginia Tech I attempted to get a text or a voice mail to Sookie to let her know what was going on, but the signal on the interstate going over and around mountains was spotty and they never went through. I hoped like hell she hadn't waited for me to pick her up. Feeling irresponsible, I hoped she'd forgive me.

Dad smirked at my preoccupation with my phone and cocked an eyebrow at the wallpaper of Sookie in her dance uniform. "You still seeing that little cheerleader?" he asked me with amusement in his voice.

"She's a dancer and yes, I am," I replied shortly. He'd met her a grand total of once and I would bet my car that he couldn't remember her name.

"Not like you to settle down. How does she feel about you leaving? Or is she heading off somewhere too?"

Why was he so damn interested in my personal life _now_?

"She's an amazing girl. She's known for a while that I would be leaving while she finished up high school." I figured that was enough to answer what he'd asked. Thinking about it, I realized I never really asked what she thought about it. I hadn't given any consideration to how she felt about my being gone for a year before she graduated. I also was clueless as to what her plans were for college. Realizing I had taken a lot for granted, I wanted to kick myself for not thinking about it before then.

Wallowing in my thoughtlessness left me thoroughly miserable as Dad pulled into a visitor parking spot in front of Burruss Hall. A very perky, attractive co-ed met us in the admissions office. She introduced herself as Selah and shook my dad's hand, then mine. She handed us maps of the campus and some folders with general information about the university.

Selah led us to a golf cart while explaining that the campus was large and this was the best way to get around. She took us in a loop around the Drill Field at the center of campus before heading to some of the resident halls. She showed us a typical dorm room, explaining that only freshmen were guaranteed on-campus housing. We went past the basketball coliseum and into the tunnel for the locker rooms.

Now this is what I was interested in. No matter what Dad thought, football was writing my ticket for college and I wanted to see those facilities first and foremost. Their locker and workout rooms were amazing. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to train in facilities like those. Dad rolled his eyes and asked more about the academics while I stared and drooled.

Since I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after school ended, I tuned him out and continued to wander around the gym. While I was impressed with the team, I wasn't a big fan of the ACC conference and that was going to be a part of my decision-making.

Another factor that I _wasn't_ going to mention to my father was how close to home this was. Only an hour and a half away from where I grew up. Normally that would have been a non-factor, but there was a reason to want to stay closer. Quick trips home would be possible from here. Missing Sookie and worrying about her moving on without me could be negated by heading just down the interstate. It was more than possible.

Dad and I spoke with some of the coaches. I was advised that if I was interested, I could definitely have a place as a Hokie in the fall. Taking over the conversation, Dad name-dropped all of the schools we were heading to as a way to fish for a better offer. Full scholarships were rare and, even though we had more than enough money to pay my tuition, Dad was ever the negotiator.

After going by one of the dining halls for lunch, we returned to the admissions office to speak with one of the counselors. I sat mutely in the overstuffed chair, wondering why I even came on this trip. Dad was handling everything. My feelings about where _I_ wanted to attend college would be secondary to his, like always.

Once in the car and back on the interstate heading for Knoxville, he noticed my sullen mood. "What's up? Didn't you like seeing the campus?"

I mumbled my agreement and went back to staring at my phone screen, waiting for a signal to hold out long enough to send a text or make a call. The damn mountains made it unpredictable and a strong signal would disappear in a blink.

"Damn it, Eric! What's wrong? Are you going to sulk and pout like a child the entire time? I might as well turn around now if that's the case."

Nothing to lose by speaking up. "No, I just think it's hilarious that you took over the tour and admissions interview like _you_ were the one being recruited. I don't know what I want to do besides play football and I want to do that at Tennessee. Virginia Tech has some perks, but every campus we go to will have a thing or two that I like more than the others. It doesn't change the fact that I have wanted to go to Tennessee since I was ten years old. You didn't even know _that_ until Pam mentioned something last night, did you?"

A sour look crossed his face. "I think you have a childish notion that after college you'll be drafted into the NFL. I'm trying to get your head out of the clouds. You need to focus on the academics that whatever school you choose can offer, as well as their athletic options."

I rolled my eyes. "I know the chances of being drafted by the NFL are slim. You think I'm stupid? What even makes you think I want that? I just don't know what else I want to do with my life right now."

He growled at the steering wheel while making the exit for the interstate that would take us south into Tennessee. "That's a decision you need to make _before_ you pick a college."

"And what? You think being led around a campus like a puppy and looking over a course catalog will help make that decision?"

"It doesn't hurt," he grumbled as he merged into traffic. I could tell the conversation wasn't going in the direction he wanted and he knew me well enough to drop it.

After getting out of the mountains, my cell signal returned. While I wanted to talk to Sookie more than anything, especially after my thoughtlessness that morning, it wasn't a conversation I wanted to have around my dad. I sent her a text telling her I would call once we got to the hotel in Knoxville and that I loved her. She replied with a heart and a smiley face, which I took as a good sign.

Dad checked in with two rooms. He wasn't so into the father-son togetherness to want to be cooped up with me 24/7. He handed me my key and left to go to his own room, telling me to order whatever I wanted for dinner and charge it to the room. I took the elevator to my floor and settled in. Once I was alone, I hit the speed dial for Sookie, knowing she would be out of school and home.

**SPOV**

When I got the text from Eric, it was a relief. I was distracted the whole day. I wondered if he would feel that I was an anchor dragging him down now that he had all these options for his future. Not that I _really_ thought he would, but I didn't have any experience with this. I also believed he had to know what was going on with me so that he could make an informed decision about _us_.

I was going to accept Northwestern. There wasn't any question. Although my parents wouldn't be happy that I was going so far from home, they were smart enough to accept that I knew what was best for _me_. With a degree from a school like that, I could write my own ticket after graduation.

I'd known what I wanted to do with my life since I was little. There was never the "ballerina-chemist-astronaut-librarian" waffling that most kids go through. Momma still had the first story I had ever written. Granted, I was in Kindergarten and it was about a princess drinking chocolate milk, but it was my first foray into literature. I never wanted to be anything besides a writer.

I didn't know why that had never really come up in the many conversations Eric and I had in the previous eight months. Well, maybe it had, but nothing concrete about my plans after high school. And that was poor planning on my part. He deserved to know what I was planning, and the sooner the better. If he was going to Knoxville, I realized that absence would not necessarily make the heart grow fonder although he loved me. I _knew_ he loved me. I loved him; I really did. But I was also realistic enough to realize that I was sixteen years old and had a lot of life left for me to live. It was highly unlikely that Eric would be there for most of it.

After I got home from school, I heard my phone playing Eric's ringtone and I ran to my room for some privacy. I didn't want to have this conversation over the phone, but I didn't want to be interrupted in case it was brought up.

"Hey Sook," his voice answered, sounding uncertain.

"Hey baby," I replied, wanting him to know I was okay.

"I am _SO_ sorry about this morning. Were you late?"

I chuckled. "No. Actually, I got to school feeling bad because I drove myself. I forgot it was one of the mornings you were going to pick me up, so I was on time. Pam told me what was going on."

He huffed a sigh of relief. "Good. I was worried that you'd be pissed. It was an accident. Dad sprung these plans on me after I got home last night and I was kind of distracted this morning. Cell signal on I-81 SUCKS."

I asked about the trip and he told me about the schools they were visiting over the next several days. He sounded brow-beaten and I felt for him. "Hon, aren't you glad to get to spend some one-on-one time with your dad?"

I could almost hear his eyes rolling. "Not so much. He's being an ass about me not knowing what I want to do with my life if football isn't an option. I know that the NFL is a slim shot and I'm not sure I would even want to go in that direction if it were offered. Your cousin is proof that a good prospective career in athletics can be shot down in seconds and I don't want to get a bad hit on the field and have my livelihood shattered. I know I need a fall back… I just don't know what it should be. I can't think of anything else I would want to spend my life doing." He sounded so dejected and I knew I couldn't add the stress of what I had decided on top of everything else he was trying to handle.

I forced my voice to be upbeat. "Well, take this chance. I know you have to deal with your dad, but ignore his pushiness and take the initiative. When you go on campus tours, step up and ask questions. This is _your_ decision, not his."

I heard the squeak of bedsprings and knew that he had flung himself onto the hotel bed. "He's so damn overbearing. It's hard to get a word in edgewise when he's like this."

"Baby, only you can decide what's best for you. If you've already decided on Tennessee, play along for the next few days and stick with your decision when you get back. He doesn't have to know that you've already made up your mind. If nothing else, you get to visit some beautiful areas." I was trying to keep things light for him.

Finally, I could hear a hint of a smile in his voice. "You always know what to say to make me feel better. I hate that I don't get to see you until Monday. I don't know what time we'll be getting back on Sunday."

"Don't even worry about it. I'm here whenever you need me," I told him before blowing him a kiss and saying good-night.

I felt like a bitch, because I didn't know how long I'd be able to keep that promise.

**A/N: Like I said in the last chapter, I have a WordPress site now under my pen name. I'm trying something new there. I have a new "Teasers" heading. If I'm working on something, a teaser will be there. I'm not reliable enough to have scheduled updates, so just check when you want. I know that I just did that today and the teaser is for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed. Please review and let me know either way.**


	32. Chapter 31: Love's Suicide

**A/N: Yes, it's the finale. I'm not going to say a lot here. I don't own 'em. Just their decisions in my little world.**

**SPOV**

I woke up hearing what sounded like hailstones pounding against my window. I hadn't heard anything about storms on the news, and after the initial barrage of clinks against the glass, I nuzzled my head back into the pillow to get back to sleep. But I was pretty sure there weren't any nocturnal birds in the area that made a hoarse call of my name. Rubbing my eyes, I staggered over to the window to see what was going on.

Outside, below my window, I saw Eric grinning sheepishly. "What are you doing here at," I turned to glance at my clock, "three-thirty in the morning?"

He shrugged at me. "Come down and walk with me. I want to talk to you and I can't wait for tomorrow."

"I think you mean today," I mumbled as I nodded and stumbled around to find some shoes. I wasn't worried about being seen in my Betty Boop pjs while we walked around my yard - in the middle of the night. I made my way down the stairs and out the front door, closing it behind me silently.

Eric met me at the bottom of the porch stairs and greeted me with a huge hug and kiss. Feeling his arms around me, I realized exactly how much I missed him and how hard it was going to be to tell him my news. He took my hand and he led me down the dark path through the woods to the pond.

We were quiet as we walked. It was more of a desperate need to be close to one another. As busy as we were in the fall and the winter, the last time we went this long without seeing each other was at the beginning of school when we had "broken up". I didn't like it, but it was something I felt was necessary at the time and would be something I would have to get used to all over again come August.

I grabbed a couple of lounge chairs from the storage shed and set them up on the little dock. "So what was with the clichéd wake-up?" I asked him with a smirk.

Even in the dark, I could see his cheeks get pink. "Sorry, I couldn't think of another way to get you up. I know how soundly you sleep. It's not like I could wake you up with a kiss. Although that would have been my first choice."

I scooted my chair over to rest my head on his shoulder. "How was the rest of the trip?"

Eric rolled his eyes and sighed. "More of the same. Dad was his usual overbearing self. I don't know why, but he seemed determined to find fault with everything in Knoxville and tried to push me toward Virginia Tech or UNC. If I didn't know him, I would think he wants me close to home. I decided to take your advice and play along, then take the acceptance from Tennessee. Nothing I saw at the other schools was enough to sway my decision."

"You're heading to Knoxville in August. I know that's what you wanted," I comment, trying to snuggle closer to him. The early morning air was chilly, and I was coming to grips with the fact that I was going to be losing him soon.

"Yeah, it is. What are _your_ plans after you graduate? I feel like an ass because I haven't asked you before now."

I didn't want to talk about it. To tell him how far away I was going to be and that this would have to end. I hedged and avoided the direct question. "Well, you know I love writing. The paper was always my first love as far as extracurricular activities. The dance team was awesome, but the writing for the paper is what I've always wanted to do."

He nodded. "I knew that. I just didn't know that you want to write for a living."

"Eventually," I shrugged. "Once I get into college, I might find a facet of communications that I like more, but for right now, yeah."

"Have you given any thoughts yet to what college you want to go to?" he asked me and I had to flick off the angel tap dancing on my shoulder shouting "TELL HIM".

I decided distraction was my best course of action and shifted off my chair to his lap. I straddled his hips and used the fact that I wasn't wearing a bra to my selfish advantage. Cupping his face, I looked into his eyes before kissing him, softly at first, gentle brushes with my lips until he caught up and held me to him. He deepened the kiss, nipping and sucking on my lower lip before using his tongue to request entrance to my mouth. I quickly granted it.

His long fingers twined in my hair, moving my head to suit his needs. When we broke to breathe, he moved his lips over my jaw and down my neck. "I missed you," he groaned against my skin. "I hate the fact that we have to be apart for a year, but you know we can make it work. God, I love you."

My throat closed as I tried to keep the tears from falling. I was wrong. I didn't know if I could do it. Stomping on the angel that was regaining consciousness and starting to yell again, I pulled him back to my mouth and kissed him again. I put my hands over his and slid them up my body to my breasts. He cupped them eagerly and softly pinched my nipples through my top, growling in my mouth at feeling them harden.

The stimulation of his skillful hands made it easy to lose ourselves in each other. While one hand continued to play with my breast, his other drifted down my back to cup my ass and pull me tight against him. I could feel his arousal growing through his jeans and couldn't help grinding against it. Feeling his chest rumble in pleasure at my actions turned me on even more… and made me feel even guiltier that I was using sex to distract him.

_DAMN IT_! I wasn't that kind of girl. I didn't avoid unpleasant topics and I sure as hell didn't use my body to get out of difficult or uncomfortable situations. I always sneered at girls that tried to do that and here I was, doing the same damn thing. However, the devil that was still meditating on my shoulder chanted that we might as well have our fun. It was only fair since I'd worked him up and, really, the middle of the night after he'd been traveling all day wasn't the best time to have this particular discussion.

I agreed with my devil and gave in. Eric wasn't the only one that I'd worked up. I figured "what the hell" and pulled him closer again as I rolled my hips over his erection. While his hands squeezed and tweaked my boobs, I worked at getting his shirt off. He only removed his lips from mine for the split second it took to get the shirt over his head before returning his mouth to my skin hungrily.

I used the time to pull my own little pajama top off and his lips moved immediately to my nipples. _God_, his mouth was capable of so many amazing things. Flicks of his tongue and scrapes of his teeth drove everything else besides him and how he made me feel right out of my mind.

My panting sped up as he slipped his hand up the leg of my sleep boxers and maneuvered under my panties. I whimpered against his chest as his fingertip brushed over my clit. I worked my hands between us to unfasten his pants. I managed to get the button and zipper of his jeans undone and tugged, silently asking him to lift his hips so I could pull them down. He jerked them up and helped me push his pants and boxers down as his mouth made strategic nips and sucks over my shoulders and collarbone. After they were around his ankles, he tugged down my boxers and ground his freed erection against my center. I couldn't hide the whimper of want that drew out of me.

Neither of us was much in the mood to play. We both knew what we wanted. I wanted the connection with him before the inevitable happened. His fingers rubbed and tapped over my clit rapidly and I could feel myself getting wetter at his masterful knowledge of my body. His lips found that small spot on my neck right below my ear that always gave me chills and I felt my orgasm coiling in the pit of my stomach. He knew it too and right before his hand took me over, he pulled aside my panties and thrust into me from below. He slowed and let me ride out the tidal wave of pleasure that set off fireworks behind my eyelids. As I came down and was able to control my movements again, I heard a soft, tender whisper. "Look at me, Sookie."

My eyes met the blazing Caribbean blue that never failed to make my breath stutter. His eyes locked on mine while he guided my hips over his. His thrusts were slow and deep and I could feel him from my toes to my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on to him as tightly as I could. As he got closer to his own happy moment, I felt another building. Our hips moved in tandem, determined to get to that spot both of us craved. At the same time I started moaning "Oh God… Oh…", his growls of "Sook… God I'm…" mingled in the spring morning air with the sound of skin on skin. With one final hard, deep push into me, I bit into his shoulder to keep from screaming with the explosion of ecstasy that paralyzed my limbs. He howled my name when he came, holding me tightly to his as aftershocks rocketed though both of our bodies.

I rested my forehead against his chest while we tried to catch our breath. I was a little overcome by emotions and bit my lip to keep from letting my tears fall in front of him. Lifting myself off his lap, I distracted myself by collecting our clothes from the dock. As I stepped back into my pajamas, Eric inspected the neat rows of teeth marks I left when I came. "Really Sook? I never would have thought you were one for the rough stuff."

Thank God he was making light of it. "You know you bring out the animalistic side of me. Don't hate if you don't like the effects," I kidded.

He chuckled as he pulled his t-shirt back on. "I really didn't plan on _this_. I honestly just wanted to see you after having been gone for almost a week," he said as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, holding me to his side while we made our way back to the house.

"I know. I missed you too. I have an idea," I started, nuzzling my cheek against his chest. "You have one more excused day… I can't remember a single day so far this year that I've missed… What do you say to spending the day together? No interruptions, no one else around. Just you and me."

He kissed the top of my head. "I can't think of a better idea. What about work?"

I thought a moment. "Once the sun rises and normal people are awake, I'll call Senior. He's pretty easy going and I can just work a different night this week. You and I need some alone time."

**EPOV**

We spent the day together in epic relaxation. Spending just six days away from her made me appreciate how hard the following year would be. But it wouldn't be _too_ hard. After I left in August, we could deal with phone calls and Skype for five months until I came home for the holidays, abbreviated as it may be depending on bowl season. Three more months until Spring break, then two final months until I came home for the summer and she could follow me back to Tennessee. I took the chance once I got home that morning to look over the course catalogue I got in Knoxville and saw that UT had a fairly large communications department. She could be there with me and neither of us would have to sacrifice.

Over the following weeks and months though, I noticed a distance. Nothing I could specifically put my finger on, but there was something there that just didn't seem right. She hemmed and hawed throughout April, but eventually said that unless I really wanted to, she had no desire to go to the prom that year. I couldn't say I was disappointed. We spent the night at her brother's cabin in the mountains, just enjoying the uninterrupted time together.

Finally graduation came and Dad appeared once again. I knew he had an apartment in the city. Although his commute would be less than an hour if he lived with us, he claimed it was easier to live closer to work. It was bullshit. I was pretty sure he had a girlfriend stashed somewhere, but Mom didn't seem to care and as long as he kept his overbearing ass out of my life as much as possible, I was fine with it. Sookie and her family came to cheer along with Mom, Dad, and Pam as I crossed to stage and received my diploma. After the ceremony, Sookie planned to come with me back to the house where my parents were hosting a graduation party. In the parking lot, I saw her kiss each of her parents on the cheek and come to join me.

She grinned at the black gown with blue accents and wrapped her arm around my waist as she greeted my parents. Her manners were always impeccable and my mom gave her a small hug. My dad just leaned back and coolly looked her over. "So what are your plans for the summer, uh…"

"Sookie, Dad. Her name is Sookie," I grumbled. I never thought he'd be an asshole this soon.

"Right, Sookie," he said with a bitter grin.

She shrugged. "I'll probably work at Merlotte's when they need me until school starts again. Spend some time with my family, and Eric, until he has to leave for Knoxville."

His eyes turned cold and he faced me. "You accepted Tennessee?"

Shit. We weren't even out of the parking lot yet. "Dad, let's get back to the house or our guests are going to beat us there. We can talk about this later."

He shot me a furious look as he headed for his Jag. I held Sookie's hand as we headed in the opposite direction for my Camaro. "Did I say something I shouldn't have?" she asked softly.

I shook my head. "No. It's something he would have known if he'd bothered to stick around or, hell, even come by for a visit after our trip. He just dropped me off and headed off to his apartment. This is the first time I've seen him since then. If he wants to keep updated on my life, he needs to make more of an effort."

She shook her head sadly. "I hate that you guys have that kind of relationship."

I sighed and opened the passenger door for her. "I do too, but it's what I have. I play the cards I've been dealt and try to make the best hand that I can."

The drive to my house was in silence, and we barely arrived before other friends and their families started showing up. Three of us had graduated – Max, a kid named Charles who went to some small private school and whose mom worked with mine, and myself – and there were three tables set up for gifts. I ran to my room to change out of the shirt and tie I was required to wear under my robe and pulled on a t-shirt. I heard the door open then slam shut while I changed.

"What the hell were you thinking, taking Tennessee's offer? The whole point of that trip was to open your eyes to other possibilities," my dad fumed.

"I'm aware of _your_ reason for dragging me around the southeast. However, I have had my decision on colleges made for almost nine years and if you're too damn stubborn to respect that, it's not my problem."

His eyes narrowed. "It's your problem if I don't pay the tuition that the scholarship doesn't cover."

I forced a grin at him. "Not when Grandma and Grandpa set up trust funds for Pam and I. Those trusts were specifically marked for college and I have full access to it… hmmm… as of today. 'Upon high school graduation or the age of eighteen, whichever is later' was how it was worded, I believe."

He grimaced. "Your mother's parents spoiled her and even after they're gone, they're spoiling you and your sister."

"How the hell is Mom spoiled? She works her ass off and refuses to take anything from you. Even when you _demanded_ that she give up the job she loves, she refused. You just hate it when variables bite you in the ass and don't let you get your way. Well guess what Dad. You don't rule the world. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean it's worthless. I've wanted to go to Tennessee since I was ten damn years old and now that I have the chance to live one of my dreams, I'm going to. You have no fucking say in what I do anymore." I really felt like I was fucking close to punching my father.

"Fine. Do whatever you want. You are no longer my concern. Let your mother deal with you. Be prepared to move out by the end of the week."

My eyes widened, only marginally. "You're kicking me out? That's really damn funny since I haven't seen you in almost 3 months. You don't really live here anymore and Mom wouldn't allow it, even if you did. If you want me gone, try being a part of our fucking family for once, not just when it suits you. Try actually showing up for dinner. Why not ask Pam about what's going on in her life? Did you know she had a pretty big role in the play she was in this spring? Did you even go to a single performance? Did you know she has a boyfriend? Did you know she's been asked to be part of the community theater over the summer? No, you don't know _any_ of that because you don't care. Are you just now realizing that you are nothing more to us than a sperm donor? You may be part of us genetically, but you are _not_ a father. Just leave. You don't want to be here and I don't want you ruining my graduation party."

I sat at the foot of my bed and waited for his footsteps to fade. I didn't even have to strain to hear the Jag start up and peel out of the driveway. With a deep breath, I rejoined the party in my backyard, holding Sookie tight, never wanting to be without the comfort being close to her brought me.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

I rushed to get my car packed for the lake before I went to pick up Sookie from her shift at Merlotte's. She had been acting differently as more of the summer passed by. Every time I tried to ask her about it, she would distract me or blatantly change the subject. That wasn't like her, and by the end of July, I'd had enough.

We got to the field by her dad's cabin and I spread out an old quilt for us to lie on. She curled herself against my side and rested her head in the crook between my neck and shoulder. Her breath tickled and gave me goosebumps. The sensations only increased when her fingertips ran lightly over my stomach, under my t-shirt. After enjoying the feeling, probably longer than was smart, I covered her hand with mine, stilling her actions. I turned my head to kiss her hair, then tilted her head to meet my eyes. "What's going on with you, Sook?"

She shifted her eyes from mine and started kissing and nipping at my neck. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she mumbled against my skin.

Her lips always made me lose my train of thought. But she had played that card too many times to count recently and I wasn't going to fall for it again. Going against my baser desires, I pulled away from her and sat up. "_Don't_. You've been hiding something from me for weeks. I'm leaving in less than fourteen days and I want to know what the hell is going on with you."

She huffed and sat up also, still refusing to meet my gaze. "I don't suppose you'd accept me saying that I don't want to talk about it right now?"

I shook my head and scooted backwards to remove myself from the overwhelming urge to wrap my arms around her. "No, I wouldn't. You've avoided talking to me about anything _real_ since I got back from the trip I took with my dad in the spring. Every time, _every single time_ I try to talk to you about something serious, you blow me off or distract me with sex. Damn it, I love you, but I'm sick of it! Talk to me! Please!"

Sookie hung her head, then stood and walked to the lake silently. She took careful steps down the rickety dock and sat, dipping her toes in the water. After too long in silence and seeing that she wouldn't be returning to the quilt anytime soon, I stood and followed her. I was finally fed-up and frustrated enough to force the issue and stood behind her, waiting.

"Why do you have to push this?" she asked in a choked whisper. "I know you're leaving soon. We both know that soon you're going to be living over five hours away. You're going to be surrounded by people who want nothing more than to say that they know you. You're going to have women, _beautiful_ women, throwing themselves at you. You are going to be so busy with classes, practices, games, and everything else that comes with starting college that I'll be lucky if you'll even remember my name, much less any phone or Skype dates that we might be able to fit into your schedule. I _hate_ that you're leaving."

I knelt down and pulled her back to my chest, holding her tight against me. "Do you really think that you mean so little to me? Sook, you have made yourself at home in my head for over a year. Not a day has gone by since that first field party that I haven't thought about you. Do you really think a few months will change that?"

She spun around to face me. "A few months? It's not just going to be 'a few months'. Fuck!" she swore. "You're making this really hard for me."

I stood and stepped back, confused. "You think this is only going to be hard on _you_? I'm going to be dealing with about twenty-five _thousand_ strangers sharing a campus with me while I try to adjust a new team, learn new plays, live with a roommate who I've never met and learn my way around a city I've spent less than twenty-four hours in, all while living five hours away from my family and the girl I love is a year away from joining me! What part of that sounds easy?" I asked exasperatedly.

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean 'join you'?"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her almost-adorable cluelessness. "When you come to Tennessee for college."

She tilted her head, seeming ever more confused. "Are you deciding colleges for me now?"

I chuckled. "Well, you never said one way or the other if you had decided on where to go. I checked the course catalogue. Tennessee has a big communications department. You'll apply there in the fall and _of course_ your brilliant ass will be accepted. We'll have the next four years together, five if I'm redshirted.

Her expression became uneasy. "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. After we got our SAT scores back, I thought, on a whim, I'd apply somewhere as an early decision applicant. It's kind of my dream school and I never thought anything would come of it, but I was accepted and I made the decision. I already have my college lined up."

My heart stuttered. I looked up at the stars and prayed that she was going to tell me that she had already been accepted to Tennessee. But she wouldn't be looking so uncomfortable if that were the case. "So where are you going?"

"Northwestern," she said in a tiny voice that I could barely hear.

"Fucking _Chicago_? What the fuck, Sookie? Don't you think we should have talked before you decided to go to a goddamned school over twelve hours away?" I exploded.

Her back stiffened and she met my eyes full on for the first time that night. "No, I don't really think so. Tennessee has been your dream school for over half your life; Northwestern has been mine. They have one of the best Journalism schools in the country and it's a really big deal that they accepted me this early! It's an honor that I had no intention whatsoever of turning down!"

I was still floored, not by the fact that she wouldn't be joining me in Knoxville. I could get over that. It was the fact that she had done this without even mentioning it to me. "How long, Sookie? How long have you known that you're going to go to college in Chicago and kept it from me?"

She whimpered a little before she answered. "I got the acceptance around the same time as you got your letters from Alabama and Tennessee."

"_FOUR FUCKING MONTHS_? Are you fucking kidding me? You have sat on this information for four Goddamn motherfucking months? Never said a word, never even considered what I would think?" I could see I was being selfish, but it fucking stung that I wasn't a consideration at all.

**SPOV**

As he ranted, I winced. I had never seen him get _that_ mad before and it was intimidating. I didn't like being scared of my giant boyfriend, but I stood my ground. "Do you think that, just maybe, this kind of reaction would be why I didn't say anything?"

Even in the moonlight, I could see his blue eyes blaze and is chest heave. "Do you think that if you had told me about this sooner, I wouldn't have such an extreme reaction?"

I turned away from him and looked over the water, just barely rippling with left-over wakes from far away boats. "Maybe I just wanted to enjoy the time we have left without this hanging between us." I was intentionally choosing my phrasing, not wanting to say the specific words.

He stiffened in my peripheral vision. He wasn't the dumb jock lots of people took him for; he was smart as hell and he knew what I was saying. He started shaking his head silently. After a few moments of pacing, he leaned over me and pressed his forehead to mine.. "No," he groaned, his breath ghosting over my cheek.

My hands betrayed my intentions and rubbed up and down his bare arms. "Eric, what would you have us do? You're going to be in Knoxville for at least four years, maybe five. I'm stuck here for another year, then I leave for Chicago. I probably won't be able to make it home more than once or twice a year. What kind of relationship would we be able to have?" I was begging him to see my side. "I love you. You know I do. But how can that kind of relationship work? You and I both deserve better than that."

"Deserve better than what? Being with someone who loves me and who I love in return?" he asked, bitterness tingeing his voice while he rubbed my back.

"No, we deserve better than being glorified pen-pals for years. Long enough to forget why we're in love and start resenting each other instead. We deserve to let ourselves meet other people. Eric, baby, I'm only seventeen and you're just a year older. There is so much of our lives left to live. How many people actually end up with the first person they fall in love with?" I asked. It sounded better in my head; saying it out loud made it sound like I _wanted_ to meet someone else.

Apparently he thought so too. "Is this just an excuse to go out and fuck someone else? I never would have thought you were _that_ kind of girl." His hands dropped to his sides and straightened up, backing away from me.

"NO! Damnit, that's not what I'm trying to say at all. Try to see for a second where I'm coming from here. You're going to be going away to school and all these parties and having the previously mentioned beautiful women throwing themselves at you. Eric, as much as it kills me to even think about it, I would rather not have you than to have you hurt me by cheating on me or resent me because I'm not there. I don't think you would break my heart like that, but there are no guarantees. And, well, who am I to say that I won't meet someone and end up bitter because I want you and can't get to you? I'm no angel, Eric, and I don't know if I have that kind of trust in myself." I paused and took a deep breath. I hadn't thought this would go well, but it was worse than I imagined. "Who am I to say that you won't find someone better for you than me and I keep you from being with your 'The One'? It's more likely that you'll meet her there than it being me. If it's meant to be… at the right time… we'll make our way back to each other."

"Goddamnit, Sookie, don't do this…" he yelled and I sunk to the ground on my knees, unable to keep the tears at bay any longer.

I curled in a ball, hugging my legs and resting my forehead on my knees. "Please Eric, just go. I can't do this anymore. I need to let you go and you need to let me go too. Please, just let me be alone right now," I choked out between sobs. The last thing I wanted him to do was leave. I wanted him to hold me, rock and soothe me like a child until I forgot why I was upset. But I knew I was doing the right thing for both of us. I had to let him go.

He started walking away shaking his head. He got in his car and I saw him, blurry through my tears, glancing in the passenger seat, then back at me. Reaching over, he grabbed my purse and the uniform that I had changed out of at the end of my shift and tossed them out of his window before spinning gravel turning around to leave "our" field.

As soon as his taillights disappeared, I completely broke down. I stumbled to where my things lay on the ground and took them over to the quilt he left lying on the ground. Not thinking of much else, I grabbed my phone out of its pocket in my purse and hit the number 3 speed dial. When that familiar drawl come through the speaker, I tried to find my voice "Jase?"

"Sook?" His voice sounded concerned and curious at the same time. I managed to let him know where I was before I couldn't talk anymore. He said he was on his way and ended the call. I resumed my fetal position and bawled.

It wasn't too long until I heard a loud diesel engine and shortly after, felt warm, strong arms pulling me up. "Sook, what happened?"

I gasped for breath. "I ended it. I told him about Northwestern tonight. I told him we were over. I had to let him go." I fell against his shoulder and cried my eyes out.

To give Jason proper credit, he didn't make me talk about it. He just let me weep into his shirt while he rubbed my back. He didn't shush me or tell me empty clichés that had no application in my situation. He held me until my sobs quieted to whimpers. I was drained after my tear-fest and he helped me up into his truck before returning to the quilt to get my things. He folded the quilt and stowed it in the cabin before driving me home.

I numbly changed into pajamas and curled up under my covers. I turned at looked at my mirror, reflecting light from the moon outside. Stuck in the corner was a picture of Eric and I from Homecoming. I closed my eyes against the memories of that night. "Goodbye Eric," I whispered into the dark.

**A/N: Okay, here's the explanation for why I'm ending "What the Hell" this way. This story needed to end. BUT… I am already at work on a sequel that picks up a little later. I had a VERY hard time deciding to end it this way, but, inevitably, it had to. This chapter is the only one I gave a title to and it's a hint at the inspiration for the next phase in their lives. This chapter could not have been completed without the AMAZING beta jobs of Reefchic7 and MissyDee. You ladies are lifesavers since I tend to "had" and "just" everything to death. Thank you all for reading. Please let me know what you thought.**


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